Rings and Medallions
by The Red Dragons Order
Summary: Sauron has gotten hold of the Aztec gold, which can only spell trouble. Hey ho, hey ho, a-treasure huntin’ we go! Sequel to PAW, RR
1. Chapter 1

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** Well, here it is. The first chapter of yet another insane story. Enjoy!

**Chapter One**

The first thing that told Harry that the golden pirate age was at an end, was seeing Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley happily sitting in the Faithful Bride, dressed as pirates, drinking rum, singing horribly off-key and not being shot for it. Of course, the fact the last thing might have had something to do with the fact that Captain 'Mad' Jack Sparrow was sitting at their table singing along, and drinking enough rum for a company of redcoats, but Harry wasn't totally sure about it.

The second thing which pointed towards the end of piracy, was the fact that the redcoats and the royal navy had seemingly put every resource they had into capturing and hanging every single pirate that sailed the seven seas – and actually being quite successful about it which surprised everyone. Norrington was put in charge of the entire operation, and within two months time the good Commodore had eliminated five rather famous pirate ships, and was supposedly this far from capturing another two.

The third thing that told Harry – and all other pirates – that their age was over, was Captain Jack Sparrow retiring from the pirate-profession, settling down on some small island and proceeding to take care of his three- year-old son that a certain Scarlet had dumped at him out of the blue, informing him that the lad's name was James and that Jack was the father, before she stalked off to find some customer or other. This had happened on the same night that Dumbledore and Mr Weasley had visited the Faithful Bride for the first time. And thusly began the Potter-line.

The fourth and last thing that told Harry that his time as a pirate was over and done with, was his knowledge of history. He remembered vaguely from muggle-school that the pirate age was over just about now, and he had no intention to change history. So, after following Jack and James to the man's chosen island, Harry had gone back to the present (making sure to bring Dumbledore and Mr Weasley with him) and proceeded to do a number of small jobs for numerous people. One week he could be giving witches and wizards a crash-course in handling a ship as a favour to Bootstrap, next week he could be at Hogwarts substituting in mostly Defence Against the Dark Arts for Remus. A week after that he could be found in one of the dragon reservations working with Charlie Weasley, or somewhere deep inside a pyramid working with Bill Weasley to open some tomb or other.

Actually, that's where he currently was.

"Be careful Harry," Bill said and gave the green-eyed ex-pirate an extra bottle of water, before taking one himself. "The Egyptian wizards weren't stupid, and it will take us days – perhaps weeks – before we reach the tomb itself. We need to get through all the passages of the pyramid, disable all the traps and pitfalls, and make a map of the place and the curses used so that we have at least an inkling of what we're getting ourselves into when we start tackling the tomb itself."

Harry nodded and made sure that his bandana was wrapped tightly, before putting the bottle of water in a small leather satchel. "Bill, I know you're just worried for me, but there's no need. I'm a pirate, remember? And don't worry, I'll be careful." Harry had quickly lost his pirate-accent after returning to his own time, as very few people there understood the terms and abbreviations, but he could fall back into the accent quicker than you could say pirate if he was pissed off about something, or if he was teaching a new batch of sailors for Bootstrap.

The oldest Weasley son sighed. "I know Harry, but mom would've had my head if I let anything happen to you." Bill accepted the torch from another Gringotts employee, and together the two men set off towards the newly discovered tomb. "If it hadn't been for the fact that our best curse- breaker ended up in St. Mungos a week ago, we wouldn't be asking you to do this. Clearing a path through a pyramid is dangerous business."

The Boy Who Lived just shrugged and grinned. "Nothing to worry 'bout mate, life was getting a bit boring. I mean, there's only so long you can keep your patience with teaching people how to sail a ship – not to mention that said people seem to have two left feet and no brains at all. I don't understand how Jack and the crew of the Black Pearl put up with me."

"So, how's Ron taking to the life at sea?"

"Pretty good actually," Harry replied and entered the pyramid first. He was the one who had to disable most of the traps as Bill was the one who carried the torch. "Surprisingly enough even Tonks is having a good time, and she hasn't knocked anything over since that first time."

"Well, you nearly did keelhaul her." Bill chuckled.

"She deserved it," the green-eyed man insisted. "She blew a hole in my ship with that- DUCK!!!!" the two of them threw themselves to the floor as several something's went flying over their heads and embedded themselves with a _THUNK_ in the ground behind them. "Oi, that was close." Harry said and stared at the forest of spears.

"They came from there," the red-head pointed to holes in the wall at the end of the corridor. He did a quick sketch of the wall, and they went on again. "So, how long can you stay here this time?"

"Not long unfortunately. Dumbledore's called me to Hogwarts for some reason or other."

"Alright, the new curse-breaker from Gringotts should arrive tomorrow anyway."

"Then I'll stay here 'til t'morrow, savvy?"

"Savvy."

----------------....----------------

The Raven landed smoothly in the Hogwarts lake, and Harry grinned at all the cheering children.

"Drop the anchor, ye bloody cads! Lower the lon'boats!" he yelled and the crew hurried to do his bidding.

There was a SPLASH, followed by the giant squid's threatening tentacle hitting at them, before a female voice yelled, "Anchor dropped, Cap'n!"

"Good work, luv, now get te the boats!" Harry yelled back to the young woman. Jacqueline had really turned into a wonderful young woman of 18, and she had numerous suitors. The only thing was that she scared most of them away with her pirate-language and attitude.

Dumbledore himself stood at shore waiting for the longboats to arrive. He was dressed as usually in insanely coloured, glittering robes, and his blue eyes were sparkling like stars. "Welcome to Hogwarts once again, Harry. I trust you had a wonderful journey?"

Harry jumped out of the boat and shook the old Headmaster's hand. "As good as can be expected, Albus. We had to drop something off at Gringotts, otherwise we would have been here earlier."

"Well, come on then, dinner should be served in a few jiffies." Dumbledore led on back to the school. "And after that I'm afraid I need to talk to you, Harry."

"What about? I haven't done anything illegal lately... well, nothing that you need to know about."

"No, no, this has nothing to do with that. It's just a favour I have to ask you."

An eyebrow was raised. "Will it piss Fudge off?"

"Probably."

"Count me in!" Harry grinned evilly. Anything that pissed Fudge off was worth doing. The Minister hadn't given up on trying to control Harry and Bootstrap, nor had he given up on trying to get them to join the Ministry in one way or another. Not that it had worked, and by now there was a war going on between Harry and Fudge. A war which the Daily Prophet, and thereby the Wizarding world, followed eagerly.

Harry's thoughts were cut off by the shout of his name and then a black something throwing itself at him sending him skidding a few feet on the floor. He blinked and looked down at whatever it was that had knocked him over, and grinned. "Why, Ana, had no idea ye missed me this bad."

Anamaria grinned and got off him. "I miss you no matter what, ye bloody scallywag!" she declared then hugged him again. "Wonderful to see you again, Green-Eyes. How's it going?" she asked as they headed for the Head table and sat down. Anamaria sat down beside Snape and Harry beside her again, which placed Dumbledore on Harry's left side – a frightening combination indeed.

"I'm doing well, Ron's finally taken over as my First Mate since Thomas quit, and everything else is just honky dory."

"And Jack, have you visited him lately?" the black woman asked.

"I was there last week. Jack is doing fine, has even taken up a job at the local bookstore." Harry grinned at the mental image of 'Mad' Jack Sparrow dressed normally, with glasses, and selling boring books to even more boring people. "I tried to take a picture, but there were too many customers around."

Dumbledore chuckled from Harry's side. "And what about young James?"

"A happy, healthy, hyperactive child," Harry's green eyes twinkled. "He really is Jack's son. Gets the local kids into more trouble than you'd think possible."

"What about the _Black Pearl_?" Draco asked from further down the table. "If Norrington sees that ship in the bay..."

"Norrington's as blind as a bat without glasses. The man's a redcoat, not the seventh wonder. Besides, Jack's much smarter than that." Tonks grinned and sat down on Snape's other side. "Hello Sevvy!"

The Potion Master raised an eyebrow. "One more word out of you, Ms Tonks, and you'll find yourself as the newest ingredient in my latest potion."

"Comprende." The metamorphmagus saluted then turned back to the conversation. "Tell 'em what Jack did, Harry."

Harry's grin widened. "Jack transfigured the Pearl into a perfectly fine house for himself and James to live in."

"Excuse me?!" Hermione exclaimed from beside Draco.

Tonks nodded. "Yep, he did it! Norrington can search all he wants, the _Pearl_ is no longer sailing the seven seas!"

"Insane pirates." Snape mumbled.

"Why, thank you Severus! I believe that's the first nice thing you have ever said about me."

"Shut it, Potter."

"It's Potter-Sparrow, I'll have you know."

"Someone shoot me and relieve me of this insanity." The Slytherin Head of House growled, and a second later half the crew from the Raven had drawn their pistols and were aiming at him.

Dumbledore apparently saw this as a perfectly fine end to dinner and stood up. "Harry, please come with me to my office."

Harry nodded and followed the old mage with a grin. "Oh, and Jack, don't wait up for me." He said to the girl.

"Savvy!" Jacqueline grinned and went right back to pointing her gun at Snape.

Dumbledore was waiting for Harry by the doors to the Great Hall, and together they made their way up to the Headmaster's office. After giving the password to the gargoyle ('Fever Fudge'), the two of them went up the spiral staircase and placed themselves comfortably in soft chairs by the fireplace. Fawkes trilled and landed on the table between them, kidnapped one of the cookies Dumbledore had ordered and gulped it down before flying back to his perch.

"I think my phoenix has been corrupted by you pirates," Dumbledore commented in amusement.

"Yes, we do tend to have that effect on people," Harry replied with a perfectly straight face. "Seriously Albus, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Ah, yes, we'll come to that in a minute but first I must ask you: sherbet lemon?"

----------------....----------------

Harry didn't return to the _Raven_ until the graveyard watch was well into their, well, watch.

Ron was the one currently on duty and he grinned when he saw the golden eagle land on the deck and transform into his best friend and captain. "So, Green-Eyes, what did Dumbledore want?"

It was then that he noticed that Harry seemed totally out of it, muttering something Ron couldn't catch and shaking his head every few seconds. The pirate went past the red-head with a distracted 'hello' and headed to his cabin after nearly colliding with the mast.

"That isn't good, is it?" Ron asked Jacqueline who had come up from the galley after stealing a midnight snack.

The young woman shook her head. "No, it's not. Last time something like that happened Norrington captured Harry and Jack five minutes later." The two of them watched with slight worry as the door to the captain's cabin banged shut.

Harry sighed and shook his head again as he paced his cabin for the tenth time. There was no use thinking about it, that would only lead to a headache. Damn Dumbledore for making sure that Harry wouldn't have a good night's rest. The Headmaster was the devil incarnate, the Boy Who Lived was sure of it, what with his twinkling eyes, and totally insane ideas...

Deciding to prove Dumbledore wrong, Harry collapsed on his bed and closed his eyes. He was going to get a good night's sleep even if it killed him! And surprisingly enough he was fast asleep ten minutes later.

Take that Dumbledore!

-.:.:.:.:.:.-.- .:.:.:.:.:.-

_Harry looked out over the ocean and smiled. It had always calmed him to look at he sea._

_He was standing on a cliff, and the ocean stretched on until the horizon. A beautiful and calming sight._

_It didn't last long._

_Something began moving underneath the waves of the sea, something huge, and a second alter a crowned head appeared through the waves. It was followed by a body which was scaled like a fish's. The enormous man had armour on and in one hand he held a three-forked spear. And he looked straight at Harry who gulped._

_"H-hello?" Harry tried hoping the man was up for a chat until Harry could wake up. "And, uh, who- who might you be?"_

_"Do not fear me, Captain Potter-Sparrow of the_ Raven_," the man replied in a booming voice. "I have come to you for help."_

_"Oh?" Well, at least the man didn't want to eat him. Harry sat down on the edge of the cliff and started paying attention. This dream was too life- like to be just a normal dream._

_"I am Ulmo, Valar of the Sea," the huge man said. "In your world I am known mostly as Poseidon, but in other worlds I have other names."_

_"A god!" Harry couldn't keep himself from gasping in awe. "Jumping jellyfish, a god!"_

_Ulmo smiled slightly. "The world that I currently represent is Arda, and it is more different from your Earth than you can imagine."_

_Harry gathered his courage and asked, "So, what seems to be the problem?"_

_"An evil force has heard of the cursed Aztec-medallions that you guard, and has called them from this world into Arda and has given them to his servants in hope of winning the oncoming war. I am asking you to go and collect the medallions before it is too late."_

_Harry shook his head. There was nothing to think about, he had to go. "How can we get to Arda?" he asked Ulmo._

_"Your ring, young Captain. I have changed it slightly, the diamond will now function to bring you to and fro in time with the same passwords as before, while the emerald will serve to open portals to Arda. To open a portal to this world just say '**Arda'**, and to open a portal to your world just say '**Earth'**._

_You will not be alone in this, the elves of this world already know that you are coming, and they will meet you in the Grey Havens. Lord Elrond of Rivendell and Lady Galadriel of Lothlórien, along with the wizard Gandalf the Grey, will help you out to the best of their abilities."_

_"How soon do you need us?"_

_"As soon as you can come. I bid you farewell, and good luck." With that Ulmo retreated to the sea._

-.:.:.:.:.:.-.- .:.:.:.:.:.-

Harry sat up suddenly in his cabin and looked around. It was dawn and the sun was just peeking over the mountains in the distance.

"Well, there's no time to waste." The green-eyed man muttered to himself and jumped into action.

Another adventure awaited.

----------------....----------------

Well, that's the first chapter. Please tell me what you think.

Sorry if the Valar-bit was totally out of character, but this is the first time I'm trying my hand at LOTR, and not to mention a Vala.

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter of '_Pirates and Wizards'_!!!! XD


	2. Chapter 2

**Rings and Medallions  
**  
**Disclaimer:** I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.  
  
**Authors Note:** It's been about seven years since Jack and Harry parted ways, which means that little James is around ten years old. Enjoy!  
  
Thanks to my beta and good friend, Paladin Steelbreaker.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
The first thing that Jack Sparrow – former captain of the _Black Pearl_ – noticed this fine Monday morning, was a snowy owl sitting on a palm right outside his window. The next thing that fell to mind was that 1) there weren't many owls in the Caribbean, and 2) only descendants of Harry's first owl, Hedwig, had that kind of glowing white feathers. The fact that there was a letter tied to the owl's leg might have helped the revelation along as well.  
  
Jack got up and let the bird in. Upon closer inspection he recognised the fowl as Harry's current favourite – Orion.  
  
"Well, lets see what trouble the lad's gotten himself into now," the ex- pirate mumbled and broke the skull-and-crossbones seal. Five minutes later he jumped into action. He got dressed and ran to the kitchen where the cook, the three maids and the butler were having an early breakfast.  
  
"Anything we can do for you, sir?" the butler asked politely.  
  
"James and I'll be going to England today, a good friend of mine has fallen ill and I want to be there." Jack replied easily. "A ship will be picking us up today around noon, and I'd be grateful if you could help us pack."  
  
"Certainly." One of the maids replied and hurriedly finished her tea.  
  
Jack nodded his thanks and went up to James' room to wake the boy. On the way there he reflected slightly on the difference between the life as a pirate and the life as a respectable man. Both had their pros and cons, and if it hadn't been for James Jack would never have left the sea and the pirate way of life, redcoats be damned. But now that he had a son he would do that a hundred times over without a second thought.  
  
Grinning, the former pirate stepped into his son's room and easily ducked the pillow that came flying at his head. James was standing in the middle of his bed another pillow lifted and ready to be thrown at a moments notice. The lad really knew how to keep Jack at his toes.  
  
"Easy there, lad, we're not having a mock-fight this morning." Jack said and held up his hands in a sign of peace.  
  
"Why not?" the ten-year-old asked. "By now it's tradition."  
  
"It may be tradition, but we don't have time for it at the moment. Uncle Harry is coming to pick us up around noon for a long journey." Jack smiled fondly as his son jumped form the bed with a shout and started to rush around the room trying to get packed. James knew about the magical world, in fact Jack was sure that the boy would start attending a magical school next year, and that school would be Hogwarts if Jack had anything to say about it. Besides, from what Harry had told him, the Potter family had lived in England for centuries.  
  
James was still rushing around trying to figure out what to bring. "A sword? Yes, I'll need a sword for those bloody redcoats. Um, clothes, food – hey, dad can I get a pistol for my eleventh birthday?"  
  
Jack shook his head and started to calm down his son. There were some things he had to explain about this mission. James knew already that his father had once been the 'Mad' Jack Sparrow, and had taken it in stride. Jack just wondered how the boy would take travelling to a completely different world.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
Harry looked at the witches and wizards that had assembled to join one of the crews for this mission. A good deal of them were already good sailors, having worked for either Harry or Bootstrap before this, but some of them were mostly or totally hopeless. Like the chap that was currently standing in front of Harry. The man didn't look too bright, and that was putting it lightly.  
  
"So, you want ter join the crew?" Harry asked more out of formality than anything else.  
  
The young man nodded eagerly.  
  
"And your name is?" Anamaria inquired, pen poised over the paper ready to write. Both she and Severus were joining the insanity, and she had gone back to being Harry's first mate after Ron had been promoted to captain one of Bootstrap's other ships.  
  
"Cecil Darling," came the answer.  
  
Anamaria blinked, stood up and punched the man as hard as she could. "I ain't yer darlin', ye bloody pervert!"  
  
Harry sighed and quickly grabbed the murderous woman. "His last name is Darling."  
  
"Well why didn't you say that before?" the black woman demanded and sat down in a huff. She wrote down the man's name and some other information, before telling the man that he would be joining the crew of the _Raven_. They were trying to even out the crews so that there were experienced crewmembers on each of the five ships to look after the rookies.  
  
Next couple to step forward were Hermione and Draco.  
  
"Finally decided on that honeymoon, ey?" Harry grinned up at them.  
  
Hermione swatted at him. "Shush you! Just put us down and give us our ship, and we'll be fine."  
  
"As ye wish. Ana, put them on the _Stormeagle_, Bootstrap'll love this chance to teach 'em. Besides, we'll have some o' the more, um, insane and annoying people on the _Raven_ where I can keep an eye at 'em."  
  
"Excuse me?" Draco raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, what he said," Ana echoed. "What do you mean by 'more insane and annoying people'?"  
  
Harry pointed to the end of the line and the other three groaned. Not only was Dumbledore standing there, dressed as a mad pirate (the role of the traditional parrot-on-the-shoulder was played by Fawkes), and Fudge of all people was also standing there with a ten-Auror strong escort looking totally hell-bent on joining this adventure even if it killed him. Nine of the ten Aurors just looked eager to get away from the Minister and his constant mumbling.  
  
Draco and Hermione beat a hasty retreat and went to warn everybody else of the impending insanity that was sure to come with Dumbledore aboard. Bootstrap looked ready to walk the plank when he heard the news, and Tonks offered to shoot someone – preferably Fudge. While this was going on aboard the five ships, the line in front of Anamaria and Harry had grown smaller and smaller and finally came the time to register Dumbledore.  
  
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," the old Headmaster declared with a flair and Fawkes rolled his eyes.  
  
Anamaria sighed and wrote it down.  
  
"Why are you joining this adventure, Albus?" Harry asked. "What about the school? It is starting in three months time, you know."  
  
"Minerva and most of the other teachers are taking care of the school while the Headmaster is gone," here Dumbledore shot Harry one of his annoying twinkles. "I just wanted to have an adventure. It's been such a long time since the last one."  
  
"So what you're saying is that you aren't going to do a thing aboard except jump around and annoy people all day long?" the green-eyed man raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
"Put him on the _Raven_, Ana." Harry said with a sigh. There was still a reason that Dumbledore was considered on of the most brilliant men of this age – totally insane yes, but brilliant. And Harry wasn't going to let said brilliance keep jumping around in a stone castle if he could have use of it on this journey.  
  
As Dumbledore hurried off to join the crew of the _Raven_, Fudge stepped up with his Auror crew. One of the Auror's, a stocky man by the name of Beag Callahan, stepped forwards. This was one of the people who still fanatically supported Fudge, so naturally he and Harry weren't on good terms.  
  
Harry grinned cheekily up at the man. "Hello again, Cyclops." He said.  
  
The one-eyed man growled. "We're here to join this little... _escapade_, Potter, and to keep you bloody pirates under control."  
  
The pirate-captain stood up. "First things first then. One, I am the captain and leader of this mission; my word is law, even to the Minister, and my orders are to be obeyed without a second thought."  
  
"Agreed." Callahan bit out through clenched teeth.  
  
"Second," Harry continued. "If you cause any kind of trouble, or don't follow my orders, you will be thrown into the brig for as long as I see fit. Third, if you even think about mutinying you'll walk the plank, and I won't care if there's an island close, or if we're in the middle of the ocean. Fourth, no one is going to get extra privileges, you get what is given to you and no complaints. Do we have an accord?" he held out the parchment where the deal had been written by Ana while he had been speaking. At the end there was enough room for Fudge and his ten Aurors to sign.  
  
Both Fudge and Callahan growled but Callahan took the offered quill and signed his name quickly followed by the rest. Anamaria accepted the paper and locked it away with the rest in the chest where she kept a log of day- to-day things like food rations, water, and other things the other crewmembers (carpenters, cooks, cabin boy's, etc.) reported to her.  
  
"That's that," Harry said and watched the Ministry-group walk aboard the _Raven_. "Who the hell told Fudge about this journey anyway?"  
  
The black woman shrugged. "Dunno. We better get aboard and get ready to set sail, Jack'll be waiting for us."  
  
The other man grinned and together they signalled for the other ships to get ready before boarding the _Raven_.  
  
Jacqueline stalked up to Harry where he stood by the helm, followed by Severus and Remus. "Harry, what's Fudge doing here?" the young woman demanded.  
  
"Wants to keep us under control," Harry snorted and grinned. "So, Severus, Remus, ready for your first adventure with the _Raven_?"  
  
Remus grinned. "Indeed we are."  
  
With his green eyes glittering, Harry started to yell out orders. "Man the braces!!!! Hoist the sails!!!! Weigh the anchor, and lets go!!!" While the orders were quickly carried out, he looked down on the ring and pressed his thumb to the diamond. "**Smeraldo**!" the air in front of the _Raven_ shimmered and he steered the ship through with the other four ships following. They had to pick up Jack and then the adventure could begin in earnest.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
Jack grinned when he saw five ships appear in the distance. James stood beside him and was looking through the spyglass.  
  
"I can see them!" the young boy grinned. "Which one is Uncle Harry's?"  
  
"If I'm not much mistaken, that would be the first one." Jack replied and could feel the familiar feeling of his blood rushing at the thought of going back to the sea.  
  
An hour later the five ships – the _Raven_ and the _Stormeagle_ made to look like merchant ships – dropped anchor right outside the small harbour, and a longboat was put on the water from the _Raven_. Jack recognised Harry at once, then he grinned when he saw not only Jacqueline, but Elizabeth and Will in the boat as well. Both women were disguised as men, and Jacqueline and Will were rowing steadily towards the dock where Jack and James were standing.  
  
"About bloody time ye got here, whelp," Jack whispered with a grin and helped to lower the two trunks into the longboat. Then he lowered James down and jumped down himself. "What took ye so long?"  
  
"Fudge among other things." Harry replied then grinned as James sat down beside him. "'Ello, lad! Come te join yer old man fer an adventure?"  
  
"You better believe it!" the young boy grinned.  
  
"Well then, what are we waitin' for?" Jack asked, his pirate-accent shining through again.  
  
"Nothing." Jacqueline replied and she and Will started rowing again.  
  
There was much joy when Jack and James came aboard the _Raven_, and shouts and greeting from the other four ships could be heard as well. The father and son were shown into the last free cabin, the other three taken up by Draco and Hermione, Will and Elizabeth and Ana and Severus. And of course Harry had his own cabin, but he had hung a hammock up in the room which was where Dumbledore would sleep. Better to keep an eye at the man.  
  
"Ana, good to see ye!! Lookin' good there, Draco! 'Ello, 'Ermione!" Jack greeted one familiar face after another. "Ye have no idea 'ow borin' it's been bein' a respectable man." Then the former pirate-captain spotted Fudge and his Aurors and growled. "Still with us, ey, Corny?"  
  
Fudge bristled. "My name is _Cornelius_ Fudge, and you better remember that, Mr Sparrow."  
  
"Of course it is, Corny, of course it is." Jack waved him off and he and James joined Harry up at the helm. "So, Green-Eyes-"  
  
"Still haven't given up on that name, have you?"  
  
"I'm a pirate, whadd'ya expect?"  
  
Harry shook his head, then looked at the other man from the corner of his eye. "Think you can give us a boost with your Elemental abilities? We need to be out of the sight of the harbour before we open the portal."  
  
Jack nodded and called up a strong wind which quickly filled the sails and the five ships shot forwards with the _Raven_ in the lead.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
It was almost full night when Harry decided that they were far enough away from people to cross from one world into the other safely.  
  
"Alright, everyone ready?" Harry's magically amplified voice reached the four ships sailing along the _Raven_, and a chorus of 'yes' and 'aye' came back to him. "Wonderful!" he touched the emerald on the ring and whispered, "**Arda**!" and a huge silver-ish portal opened in front of the ship. A strong wind flew out of it and the sea around them became slightly wilder. "Hold on to yer hat's ladies and gents, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!"  
  
With that the _Raven_ sailed into the silver portal. It was followed by the _Stormeagle_, then Ron's ship – the _Weasel_, and the _Heron_ and the _Phoenix_ brought up the rear.  
  
It was indeed a bumpy ride. To Harry it seemed as if they had sailed straight into a storm from hell, and he had to fight to keep standing and to keep the ship on a steady course. Jack and most of the crew had taken out ropes and had bound themselves to the mast or wherever else they could, and hung onto the ropes with all their might. The few torches that had been lit were quickly blown out and the Hogwarts banner and the Jolly Roger right under it, were nearly shredded to peaces. The sails seemed ready to burst, and a few of the ropes actually did, but nothing dangerous happened, and a few minutes later they exited the portal on the other side landing smoothly in a calm, deep, dark blue sea. The other four ships made the journey with only a minimal amount of damage as well, and all the crews breathed a sigh of relief. Then they discovered another thing.  
  
They were glowing. All of the witches and wizards were glowing silver or white like stars.  
  
"What the devil?!" Harry looked down upon himself. He was the only one who glowed just as much – if not more than Dumbledore. Said old man came up beside him with a grin. Even Fawkes was glowing, but he was glowing in a warm scarlet.  
  
"Albus, what is going on here?" the green-eyed young man asked.  
  
The other man chuckled, seemed to concentrate slightly and then his glow was gone. "It is my belief Harry, that since we aren't originally form this world, something in it's fundamental magic reacts with our own magic and makes us glow. What we're actually seeing is the Aura around people and the brighter the Aura the more power the certain person has."  
  
"How did you turn it off?" Remus asked. His Aura was tinged slightly with brown.  
  
_'Probably because of the werewolf in him.'_ Harry mused, then turned back to Dumbledore to hear the explanation. Harry had no desire to walk around glowing like a star, even if it was kind of cool.  
  
"All you have to do is concentrate, and pull your Aura inside yourself again. Imagine it like vacuuming, pull your Aura in and keep it locked up. It is very easy to do." Dumbledore demonstrated again and Harry quickly 'turned off' his own Aura. Slowly the crews of the five ships picked up on it as well and normal torches were lit again, sending a warm glow over the decks of the ships and the sea as well.  
  
"So, where to now?" Jack asked as he came up beside Harry.  
  
"We're supposed to go to a place called the Grey Havens – I suppose it's a port or something – and there we'll be met by some elven leaders who know about our coming. From there, well, I have no idea." Harry took up the magical compass which had once belonged to Jack, and whispered, "Take us to the Grey Havens." causing Jack to smile fondly. Together they turned the ship in the correct direction and settled down for a long night.  
  
The peaceful silence between the two former pirates was broken when a slightly green Fudge stumbled up on deck and up to the helm. Jack rolled his eyes but didn't leave. How many opportunities was he going to get to annoy Fudge on this journey was unknown, so he better grab hold of ever opportunity he got. Besides, he wasn't going to desert Harry and leave him alone with such a short nuisance.  
  
"Where are we going?" Fudge asked and hung onto the railing for dear life. The man clearly didn't feel home aboard a ship.  
  
"We aren't going, we're sailin'." Harry corrected him. "We're sailin' to the Grey Havens where we'll be met with some of the elven leaders of this world."  
  
"Excuse me?! We're going to work with elves?! House-elves?!"  
  
Jack rolled his eyes again. "Shut it ye idiot. It's only logical to think that because this is a totally different world from our own, that the elves here aren't like the House-elves back on Earth, savvy?"  
  
Harry nodded in agreement. "Go back to yer hammock, Fudge and leave us be te steer the ship in peace."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Go."  
  
"Now see here-"  
  
"Do ye _want_ te end up in the brig? Scram!"  
  
The two pirates watched in amusement as the Minister scrambled back under deck again.  
  
"I think we terrified him."  
  
There was a short silence.  
  
"That was wonderful."  
  
"Yes, I know. I'm good, aren't I?"  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
Two days later the lookout in the crows nest shouted down, "Grey Havens ahoy!"  
  
And not long afterwards the entire crew could clearly see the mass of land which went as far as the eye could see in both directions. Yesterday it had only been a great big mass of dark grey in the horizon, but now they could see that it was actually hills and cliffs and beaches and everything was so green. Trees and plains went for as far as they could see, and straight ahead laid the Grey Havens.  
  
It was a beautifully built harbour, with architecture that none of the crews had ever seen before. It flowed in and out of the stones and few trees like water and several white, glittering, elegant, swan-shaped ships stood by the docks all of them filled with tall people with long hair and elegant clothes and robes. Some of these bore simple gold or silver circlets and other small, yet elegant, jewellery.  
  
More of these tall people were standing on the dock itself, several of them dressed in even more wondrous clothes than Harry had even thought possible. The entire place was silent and the pirates were silent as well. There was something timeless about this place, something that invoked awe and a feeling of happiness in all of them. Yet there was also a slight feeling of sadness for some strange reason.  
  
Hermione was eagerly sketching everything in sight and writing down small notes. She had taken it upon herself to document the entire journey, and then when they got back home to Earth she was going to write a book about it. She was wishing that she had ten more sets of eyes, and she hoped dearly that Harry would let her stay here for a while to get some more information and drawings. And Gods help him if he didn't.  
  
"Wow." Jack whispered in awe as the _Raven_ sailed silently into the harbour.  
  
Harry nodded. "Wow indeed." He replied just as quietly. A group of six people that were standing on the dock, caught his attention. Three of them were clearly related, two of those were even twins; the fourth was also one of these tall people. He was blonde and had a slight beard, which Harry hadn't seen on any of the others. The one after that was a dark-haired man clearly dressed in travelling clothes. He had a large sword at his side, and other things on his back. The last one was an old man who reminded Harry of Dumbledore. He was dressed in grey robes, had a tall pointy hat, and was leaning slightly on a curiously shaped staff.  
  
The docking went easy, the anchors were dropped, the sails were gathered and tied up, and several of the tall people helped secure the ships, and then to lower the gangplanks. Upon closer inspection Harry noticed that these people had pointy ears that stuck slightly out of their long hair.  
  
_'Well, they certainly aren't House-elves.'_ Harry thought to himself as he walked down the plank followed by Jack, James, Jacqueline, Dumbledore, Severus, and some others.  
  
They reached the group of six that Harry had noticed earlier were just about to greet them, when there was a yell and a splash from the ship. They turned and found Fudge being hoisted out of the water by two Aurors.  
  
Jack turned to Harry. "Tell me, _why_ exactly did ye bring the idiot on this little outing?"  
  
Harry could only shrug his shoulders. It was a total mystery to him as well.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
Damn, that was long. Don't expect chapters like these all the time.  
  
This is slightly AU, so lets say that the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy doesn't exist on Earth.  
  
The quote 'Hello again, Cyclops' comes from Disney's version of 'The Three Musketeers' with Oliver Platt, Charlie Sheen, Tim Curry, et all.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Delinka, Blue Phoenix2, Phoenixfeather6988, Kevin-McKay, padfootjr23, Digi Bonds, Lunawolf, crazley, KT, HAZZAGRIFF, Avemtilla, Irish Pixie, Elven Warrior1, A-Brighter-Dawn, elvengoddess, jcd-obsessor219, Liver Creperum- Liber Diabolus, Fate, Darkfire1, pIPPINpIRATE, WolfMoon, cheatachu82, Mistress Malfoy, chaser1, A Sly Fan, Twilight Dusk, Andine, chibichibi386, cantfindagoodname, ReginaLucifer, Mirashi, Rogue1615, phoenixcatcher, elbereth141, Xander's Sex Kitten, Nimohtar, ME, Discordia-Erebus, Snape'sG8l48, Nefertiri Riddle, Kageri Tsukiakari, shinystars, SSSRoaB, HarryPotter21, Nyoko, Kent16, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Hecate, kiwiknight and Niere of Gondolin. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Rings and Medallions  
**  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.  
  
**Authors Note:** Fudge is along just to be a nuisance, while Dumbledore is there mostly for the comic relief. There will be a bit of Ring-history at the beginning of the chapter, but please bear with it. I also apologise if there is something geographically wrong in this chapter.  
  
Many thanks to my beta and good friend, Paladin Steelbreaker.  
  
**Chapter Three**  
  
When they had finally got Fudge out of the water and had dried the man off with a quick spell, Harry and his small group turned back to the six people in front of them and started with the introductions.  
  
"I am Harry Potter-Sparrow, Captain of the _Raven_," Harry began seeing that none of the others would. He extended his hand and the bearded elf grabbed it in a firm shake. He was obviously either the leader of the all the elves of Middle-Earth, or he was the ruler of the Grey Havens. Harry suspected the latter one.  
  
The elf's hands were callused as if they were used to the work that entailed the keeping and steering of ships in all kind of weather. Harry found himself liking the elf at once. "Welcome, Captain Sparrow," the elf declared in his surprisingly musical – yet male – voice. "I am Círdan the Shipwright. These are the other leaders who were able to come." He said indicating to the other five. "This is Elrond Peredhil, Lord of the elven town of Rivendell. These are his two sons, the Lords Elladan and Elrohir."  
  
Harry smiled politely and shook hands and exchanged small pleasantries with the three elves.  
  
Círdan continued. "This is Gandalf the Grey, a wizard; and this is the leader of the Rangers, Aragorn, son of Arathorn."  
  
"Nice to meet you all." Harry said after shaking hands with the last two, then he proceeded to introduce the group which had come with him, ending with: "and this is Cornelius Fudge, a Minister of our world."  
  
Fudge blew himself up proudly, but blinked slightly when none of the six other men took much notice of him. He sulked off back to his group of Aurors, and started talking quietly with Beag Callahan. And those two together was never a good thing, at least not in Harry's opinion.  
  
Harry's discreet observation of the two men was interrupted when Gandalf the Grey stepped forwards and bowed slightly. "If I might speak with all of you here privately, and as soon as possible?" it was clearly more an order than a request, and once again Harry was reminded of Dumbledore.  
  
"That would be wise," Severus spoke up for the first time as well. "We need to see if we have gotten all the facts right, and also we need to know more about your Arda before setting out."  
  
Círdan nodded gravely. "I shall provide for the conference room. If you would all-"  
  
Jack, who had been watching Fudge, had noted the way the man's head had snapped up when he heard Gandalf's words. He also knew that a man as weak as Fudge could ruin everything if he had more information than was good for him, and if he joined this meeting, then everything would go down to Davy Jones Locker faster than one could say Bootstrap's bootstraps. That's why the old pirate captain cut in on Círdan's offer to follow him, and turned to Harry. "Green-Eyes, why don't ye and Albus here go with 'em, and the rest o' us can make sure that dear Cornelius stays away from the water, savvy?"  
  
Harry was quick to agree. "We'll have a meeting later in me cabin." The others in the group nodded, and quickly went to prevent Fudge from reaching Harry and the others. Dumbledore stood there with an amused twinkle and with Fawkes sitting on his shoulder and being discreetly admired by the elves. The phoenix seemed to like it.  
  
"If you would follow me then?" Círdan repeated politely without batting an eyelash at what had been going on. He led the group through the beautiful creations of art that the elves called houses, and in the end they ended up in a comfortable stone room. The windows looked out on the harbour and the sea, and the sun reflected in the ocean beautifully in Harry's opinion.  
  
In the middle of the room stood a round table of stone, and around the table there were elegant chairs of wonderfully carved, dark wood and small pillows to sit upon. The walls were decorated with various tapestries and banners. One of the tapestries, one of a glowing white, swan-like ship, caught Harry's attention. The ship seemed to be floating in space amongst the stars and the moon, and Harry decided to look closer at the tapestry and the tale behind it once the meeting was over.  
  
They sat down and Harry began from the beginning. He told of Jack's loss of the Black Pearl, the mutiny, the cursed Aztec medallions, the moonlight- deal and the adventure which led to Jack getting the Pearl back again. Then, to Harry's dismay, Dumbledore took over the tale and told of Harry's adventures at Hogwarts and up to the destroying of Voldemort eight years ago. The four elves, Gandalf and Aragorn listened to all of this seriously, and when Harry conjured a fake gold coin to show them what the things looked like, they all studied it for long minutes.  
  
"If we find any of these coins, Captain Sparrow, we will alert you," Gandalf said at last and Harry made the coin disappear again. But the grey- robed wizard wasn't done yet. "Now it is our turn to disclose information. Those of us who know where to look, have noted an increase of dark activity. Orcs are breeding in the Misty Mountains and in Mordor, the wargs dare to get closer and closer to settlements, and Sauron's old fortress of Barad-Dur is rebuilt. The One Ring has been found."  
  
Harry and Dumbledore had no idea what all this talk was about, but the elves and Aragorn didn't seem very happy about it.  
  
Seeing the confused looks exchanged by the pirate captain and the old mage, and knowing Gandalf's nature for keeping things secret slightly longer than necessary, Elrond decided to take it upon himself to tell the tale. "It happened a long time ago," the elf-Lord began. "The elves forged a group of magical and powerful rings.  
  
_Three Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky,  
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,  
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,  
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne  
In the land of Mordor where shadows lie.  
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,  
On Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them  
In the Land of Mordor where Shadows lie_." He quoted. "And that is exactly what happened. The Dark Lord Sauron forged a ring to rule all others, and in it he poured his evil and hate for everything free. The elves were able to keep their three rings hidden from Him, and most of the rings of the dwarves were swallowed by dragons long ago and dwarves have a tendency to be as stubborn and difficult as the mountains they mine in; but the nine rings of men Sauron corrupted, making their bearers his slaves, the Ringwraiths."  
  
"Soon after Sauron forged the One Ring, he started to wage a war against all the free people of Middle-Earth," Gandalf continued and gratefully accepted a parchment that Círdan handed him. He unfolded it and put it in front of Harry and Dumbledore. It was a map, seeming rather old-fashioned to Harry. And as Gandalf spoke, both Harry and Dumbledore found the places on the map, connecting them with the tale. "A Last Alliance of men and elves went against him, and on the slopes of Mount Doom they fought the last battle. However, the power of the Ring could not be held at bay for very long, and it turned into slaughter."  
  
Harry winced. He didn't even want to imagine what it must have been like. What was it with Dark Lords anyway? They all wanted to take over the world, and they all refused to stay good and dead after being killed. It was getting annoying to an extent.  
  
"Elendil, the King of men, was killed by Sauron himself and his weapon, the sword Narsil, was shattered as well," Gandalf went on. "Isildur, Elendil's son and the Heir to the Throne of Gondor, took up his father's sword and managed to cut the Ring off Sauron's hand. But instead of destroying the Ring as he was supposed to, Isildur kept it and evil was allowed to endure, and bound the Ring to his own descendants of which Aragorn is the last. Sadly, the newly-crowned King Isildur was killed by orcs and the Ring was lost in the waters of the Anduin for over 2500 years."  
  
"I sense a 'but' here," Harry couldn't help but mumble. A great uneasiness had gripped him as the tale had progressed. The last thing they needed now was for this Ring to have been found and for Sauron to have come back and start a new war against Middle-Earth. _'Wait, didn't the Ulmo-chap say something about a Dark Lord and...? Bloody Dark Lords!'_ shaking his head, Harry turned back to the tale again.  
  
"The Ring was found by a creature called Gollum and brought to him unnaturally long life. The Ring has a mind of its own, you must remember, and when it heard its Master's call it abandoned Gollum. However, instead of getting back to Sauron's hand, the Ring was picked up by a hobbit of all things, a hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins, and it is his nephew, Frodo, who now bears the Ring." Gandalf took a deep breath. "And now we come to the heart of the matter I wanted to discuss with you all, good friends. Frodo knows which Ring he is bearing in his pocket, and Sauron knows that his Ring has been found. He has more than likely sent out people to search for it, and I have sent Frodo off to the village Bree as soon as I realised what Ring it was.  
  
I promised to meet him there, but I fear I won't arrive on time as I must speak with Saruman, the Head of my Order, and he lives in Orthanc, right beside the Gap of Rohan, a journey which will take months, even with the fastest horse I can get a hold of."  
  
"Perhaps not," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "I could just apparate you there, or at least a part of the way."  
  
Gandalf started curiously at the Headmaster. "A-apparate?" the foreign word stumbled over his tongue slightly.  
  
"Instant transportation from one place to another." Dumbledore explained.  
  
"Very well then, we will do that as soon as possible, but I would still like for one of you to go to Bree and meet up with Frodo and his companion Samwise Gamgee, just in case."  
  
"I will go, Gandalf," Aragorn said, and it was the first time Harry had ever heard him speak. The Ranger looked no older than Harry himself, yet he had an aura of wisdom which only came from a lifetime of wandering around in all kinds of terrain and weather. There was also a certain glint in the grey eyes which Harry had started to associate with powerful people – Dumbledore's twinkle was just constantly working on overtime. Which was very annoying.  
  
"And I will come with you," Harry spoke up after a minute of contemplation. "If you a re willing to wait a day so that I can arrange the groups who will be placed here and there searching for the medallions in that area."  
  
Aragorn nodded slightly hesitantly. "And you will... apparate us to Bree?"  
  
"Sadly I have never learned to apparate, but I know how to make a portkey, which is nearly the same." Harry replied and didn't take his eyes from the other's grey ones.  
  
The should-be-king nodded after a minute of searching the impossibly green eyes of the pirate, and apparently finding what he was looking for. "Alright, we can afford to wait a day, but no longer than noon tomorrow."  
  
Harry nodded and went back to staring at the map in front of him.  
  
"I wonder, how are you going to find these medallions when you do not know where they are?" Elladan asked. Harry had the two twins pegged down easily, as he had had a good deal of practice with Fred and George.  
  
_'Mental note: never let the Weasley twins meet the Peredhil twins. Pranks seem to be a twin-thing and better be careful.'_ He thought.  
  
Dumbledore turned to Harry as well with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, I've been wondering about that myself actually."  
  
Sighing Harry brought out the magical compass that Jack had given him so long before. "Alright Albus, you are _finally_ going to get the answer on how this compass actually works." He explained about the compass and how it worked, then he demonstrated it by putting the compass in the middle of the map and asking where the closest set of medallions were. The arrow spun around fast several times before settling on the direction North, and words appeared above the compass (a thing Harry had added after a few years). The words declared that nine pieces of the cursed gold were moving quickly towards a place called the Shire. A second later the words formed:  
  
_**'Just crossed the Sarn Ford.'  
**_  
Gandalf looked thoughtful. "I honestly hope I am wrong in assuming that those nine medallions would be with the nine Ringwraiths."  
  
"Yes, talking about them," Dumbledore said, "why are you so afraid of them?"  
  
This time it was Círdan who replied. "We already told you that the Ringwraiths were the nine Kings of men who were deceived Sauron, and that they are now his personal slaves. At all time they can feel the power of the Ring, and they are drawn to it, never will they stop hunting it or the one who bears it. The Ringwraiths are also the Dark Lord's most powerful servants. They fill one with hopelessness by just coming close, and their shriek strikes fear in the stoutest of hearts – elves, men, dwarves and hobbits alike."  
  
"Sounds a lot like dementors," Harry said.  
  
"Dementors?"  
  
"Creatures from our world just like what you described. They suck the happiness out of you, and if you're unlucky they can suck your soul out, leaving you as an empty shell. Fortunately we have a spell against them," the old Headmaster of Hogwarts continued. "It doesn't kill them, no, but it drives them off for a while. Long enough for you to get somewhere remotely safe if you're quick."  
  
"And how does this spell work?" Gandalf asked. He looked eager to learn something new – especially a new kind of magic – and the spell might just come in hand in the future.  
  
Harry smiled. "I will leave that for Albus here to explain as I don't know much about it, or the theory behind it."  
  
"Do you know how to perform it?" Aragorn asked. "For I fear we might have use of it on our journey from Bree to Rivendell. That is where I assume you want us to lead Master Baggins?" he turned to Gandalf who nodded, and then turned back to Harry.  
  
"I do know how to perform it, but I won't know if it will actually work before I am up against one of these Ringwraiths."  
  
Elrond nodded and stood up along with the rest. "There doesn't seem to be much more to say right now, and we need to get back to Rivendell as soon as is possible."  
  
"I can get a group to apparate you there, if you would wait for an hour or so Lord Elrond." Harry said. "It won't be inconvenient to us, as I want to post a group of my men there if you don't mind?"  
  
The elven Lord nodded. "It will be interesting to experience apparating, and to meet your crew, so I accept."  
  
"Wonderful, I'll have them ready within the hour."  
  
And that was that.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
Harry had indeed kept to his word and an hour later a somewhat nervous Lord Elrond, his sons and a few other elves that had accompanied them to the Grey Havens, disappeared with a 'pop' along with twenty of the pirate crew. Hermione had, of course, threatened her way into going with the group, especially when she heard that Lord Elrond was a wonderful historian and had numerous books on the making of the world. Harry, being a mere and humble pirate (and being rather fond of having his head attached to his shoulders), allowed her to go, with a warning not to bug the poor elves _too_ much.  
  
All the time Gandalf and Dumbledore had been cooped up in a room Círdan graciously had provided, and were talking very in-depth about magic and magical creatures, comparing notes on certain things, etc. and all the while Dumbledore was teaching the Grey Wizard how to perform the Patronus Charm.  
  
Aragorn and Círdan both went with Harry back to the _Raven_ after Elrond and his group had been apparated away, and they had a quick meeting with Jack, Bootstrap and the other captains in Harry's cabin, where Harry shortened the tale of the One Ring and started to divide them into groups. Círdan once again provided the map necessary for finding the medallions, and as most of said medallions seemed to currently reside in Mordor – the land of the Dark Lord – Harry sent most of his men, around half, to various places in Gondor, the kingdom that was closest to Mordor and also the kingdom that Aragorn was supposed to be king of.  
  
"Now remember," Harry told Ron who would be leading the group going to Gondor. "Split up once you get there, and infiltrate as many places as possible, but keep the main strength out in Ithilien – Aragorn tells me they have a group of Rangers there that guard the border – and a good portion of them behind the walls of Minas Tirith. And don't reveal yourself as wizards unless it is completely necessary. We don't want to tell Sauron that we're here."  
  
Ron nodded and gathered his large group of men and woman – all of the Weasleys would be in the group, except Fred and George. As usual the Weasleys had decided to stick together, and even Percy had been persuaded to join the adventure. "We'll owl you once every other week."  
  
Harry shook his head. "Don't owl, too much chance of interception. Use floo- powder instead, or something else if you can't light a fire. Go and good luck."  
  
The largest group disappeared with a loud series of 'pops'. The next group was to be headed by Severus and they were going to Rohan.  
  
"I'm not sure if we'll need a group there," Harry said to the Potion Master as the man started transfiguring his clothes into typical Rohannic garb with advice from Aragorn and Círdan. "But the land is also extremely close to Mordor, and better be safe than sorry."  
  
Severus nodded and looked over his new outfit with a sneer. Harry heard the man mutter something which sounded like 'why do they need colours for, black is perfectly suitable' but he wasn't totally sure.  
  
"Anamaria won't be coming with you," the green-eyed man continued while writing up a list of names of those Severus should bring with him. "She's black and I don't think they have seen many black people except these Haradrim, who apparently are very devoted to the Dark Lord Sauron, and we really don't need more publicity. It will be suspicious enough with groups of people suddenly appearing all over the continent. Sorry mate, but I will place her in Lothlórien, if it is acceptable to Lady Garl... Glad... Gral..." here Harry stumbled over the name and shot a quick look towards Aragorn and Círdan who were sitting in a corner of the cabin and were watching with interest how Harry handled the entire situation and his crew.  
  
"Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn," Círdan said with a nod. "I do not doubt that they already know of your coming to Arda; and if she wishes to, the Lady will contact you herself when the time is right."  
  
"There you go, what he said," Harry handed the list of people to Severus. "And the same I said to Ron goes for you, no showing of magical powers unless completely necessary."  
  
Severus read quickly through the list of names, and raised an eyebrow. "Are you _trying_ to kill me or something, Potter? You have given me both the Weasley twins _and_ Nymphadora Tonks!"  
  
"You know that Tonks can help with her metamorphmagic and that Fred and George are more likely to quickly win favour with people then yourself? Not only that, but they are the few of us who actually can ride horses to some extent, and Aragorn here tells me that Rohan's main method of travel are horses. The land is nicknamed 'Home of the Horse-lords' for a reason I believe. Be careful."  
  
Snape nodded and stalked off.  
  
Just after Harry was finished explaining the situation to Jacqueline, who would be leading the group that went to Lothlórien if Lady Galadriel approved it, Jack came swaggering in followed by James who stared in silent awe at both Aragorn and Círdan. The two from Arda smiled and James shyly stepped up to them only to lose his courage and hurry back to Jack who grinned and pulled his son closer in a one-armed hug. Then the former pirate turned back to Harry with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Yes Jack?" Harry knew that the older man would soon come to demand why the hell _he_ hadn't been sent out with one of the groups.  
  
"Why's ev'ryone else leavin' while I, Gibbs, Bootstrap, the Turners an' some others remain 'ere?" a clear sign that Jack was annoyed or pissed off was when he lapsed back into previous speech-patterns. While he had been a pirate, he had occasionally lapsed back into talking like a fine gentleman for some strange reason. Now it was the other way around.  
  
"Because I need someone te sail down the coast as a backup crew," Harry said calmly. "An' as we don't 'ave many men at disposal, I thought it best te 'ave most o' the experienced sailors aboard the ships."  
  
Jack grumbled over this for a moment, then sighed. "Since when did ye become so bloody hard te argue with, ey? Alrigh', I'll do it, but ye take James 'ere te this Rivendell place and keep 'im there whilst this adventure's ongoing, savvy?"  
  
"Hey!" James protested.  
  
"We're savvy, Jack, I'll get Draco te apparate 'im there once 'e's finished fixin' 'is peg-leg."  
  
"Don't I get a say in this?!"  
  
"Not this time, James," Jack replied his voice stern and warning. The ten-year-old boy sulked but stopped. He knew how far he could push his father before it got really dangerous.  
  
Círdan and Aragorn came over to them and the elvish mariner offered to send along some of his own men with the boats, an offer which was eagerly accepted by Jack and the two sailors walked off to arrange the details leaving Harry, Aragorn and James alone in the cabin.  
  
"You work fast, Captain Sparrow," Aragorn commented. The entire organising and sending the groups off hadn't taken more than half the afternoon, and the sun was barely setting.  
  
"That passed without something insane happening, which is what I am worried about," Harry replied. "Now, let me see..." he looked Aragorn up and down to get an idea of what kind of clothes to transfigure his own into, and shook his head. Mumbling something about 'fashion advice' his own clothes changed to a garb similar to the other man's. "We might as well have dinner aboard the ship before we set out, so come along." The last part was mostly directed at James, but Aragorn followed as well.  
  
In the galley they were met with the sight of Dumbledore and Gandalf sitting and talking.  
  
"Ah, Harry!" Dumbledore smiled. "James, Lord Aragorn," he nodded politely to the other two. "I must say Harry, Gandalf here is one terrific student. He has already mastered the Patronus Charm."  
  
"Congratulations," Harry said and sat down with a bowl of vegetable soup, followed by the Ranger and James. "What does your Patronus turn into?"  
  
"A shooting star," Gandalf replied. "It is a bit tiring, though."  
  
"Probably because it's foreign magic," the green-eyed man nodded. "Albus, would you mind terribly if I stationed you with Lord Elrond in Rivendell?"  
  
"No, no, not at all. I am most eager to invade his library."  
  
"You'll have to wait for it, I think Hermione's already attacked it." Came the amused reply. Somehow there had developed a small contest between Hermione and Dumbledore that involved invading libraries first. Harry didn't know the story behind it, but apparently it had started with a bet between McGonagall and Flitwick upon which one of them was the biggest bookworm.  
  
The old Headmaster frowned. "She's already there, is she? Master Gandalf, would you mind terribly if I transported you and your horse to Isengard at this moment? Good!" Dumbledore went on without waiting for an answer and with a 'pop' both he, Gandalf and a horse in a stable were gone.  
  
"It's probably time for us to pop out as well," Harry said and stood up. He transfigured his cutlass into a straight sword like Aragorn's, and it changed into the Sword of Gryffindor for some strange reason. Quickly hiding the jewels with a spell, the green-eyed man strapped it on, shrunk and hid his pistol and supplies and threw a cloak around himself before picking up a backpack that Mrs. Weasley had prepared once she had heard that Harry was going out into the wild.  
  
Harry picked up a piece of wood meant for the oven, and touched it with a finger whispering, "_Portus_."  
  
"Please, Uncle Harry," James pleaded. "Can't I come with you?"  
  
"Not now James, but if you're a good boy while I am away, and if the Lady permits it, I will take you to Lothlórien when the time comes." Harry smiled at the now-ecstatic boy, then turned to a slightly amused Aragorn. "Touch the log mate, and prepare for a _spin_ of a ride."  
  
Aragorn steeled his courage and touched the log. James heard a surprised yelp from the would-be-king before both he and Harry were gone leaving him alone in the galley of the _Raven_.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
AAAAAAAHHHH!!!! It's the Long-Chapter disease!!!!  
  
I hope it's not too terrifically terrible. I tried to make everyone in character, but I'm not sure how well that went.  
  
The conversation between Harry and Dumbledore that we didn't witness in the first chapter will be important later on, so keep it in mind.  
  
Next chapter: Enter hobbits! --cuddles-- And one evil ring.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Serpent of Light, Lunawolf, chaser1, pIPPINpIRATE, Jedi-Bant, Insane Golden Dragoon of Ra, Discordia-Erebus, eriee, Hecate, HAZZAGRIFF, Phoenixfeathers6988, Elven Warrior1, Avemtilla, Marshes to Banks, chibichibi386, phoenix catcher, grand admiral chelli, cantfindagoodname, A- Brighter-Dawn, Delinka, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Silver-Entrantess-Elf, Kevin-McKay, Digi Bonds, WolfMoon, cheatachu82, daemonwolf, HarryPotter21, Sirithalwen, Liber Creperum-Liber Diabolus, crazley, VB (ME), Cretin, Lady Phasma, Kathy stggvk, TiffanyBlack2004, silverrowan, Inscribson, That Kid Crying In The Corner, Stahchild and JeanieBeanie33. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Rings and Medallions  
**  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.  
  
**Authors Note:** We survived chapter three, which was strangely devoid of insanity. And Ron was never a true Death Eater, just a spy. Some of this chapter will be taken out of the book, and some out of the movie, though I'll try to make it as original as possible. Enjoy the following insanity.  
  
**Chapter Four**  
  
When they finally appeared in a small, secluded wooded area a few miles north-west from Bree, Harry grabbed the off-balance Aragorn to keep him from falling face-first into an anthill.  
  
"Easy there mate," the green-eyed pirate grinned and carelessly dropped the log. "So, what do you think of travelling with a portkey?"  
  
Aragorn looked down at the log on the ground and carefully stepped away as though the thing would attack him any moment. "It is definitely not my favourite way of travel, and let us leave it at that."  
  
That earned another grin from Harry. "Couldn't have put it better myself. Don't worry, it was only a one-way portkey. Now it's just a normal log again and won't transport anyone anywhere."  
  
Together they set off in a direction that Harry supposed was south. He had set the portkey to bring them to the area north of the main road, and right now the two of them should be walking towards a place called the Barrow Downs, or something similar.  
  
They cleared the trees five minutes later, and started walked through lolling plains and small hills. It was quite a beautiful environment, Harry reflected. In fact, if all the Rangers did was to walk around in the wild like this, occasionally killing some beastie, Harry wouldn't mind applying for the job. Aragorn mightn't talk a lot, but he was good company nonetheless.  
  
After an hour and more of quick walking, Aragorn stopped and pointed somewhere to the south-west. "Do you see the fog down there?"  
  
Harry blinked and narrowed his eyes, then nodded.  
  
"That's the Barrow Downs. I took the liberty to lead us slightly more towards the East and closer to Bree, just in case the hobbits got that far."  
  
"What are the Barrow Downs?" Harry asked. "Cloaked in that mist like that, they don't look too inviting. And the sun has barely started to set."  
  
Aragorn started walking and Harry followed. "That's where the Barrow-Wights make their home. It is an ancient human burial-ground, the oldest in Middle- Earth as far as I know. Barrow-Wights are demons who came from the Witch-kingdom of Angmar, and, fleeing from the sun and needing new bodies to reside in, took over the Barrow Downs."  
  
"Doesn't sound like a nice place, just 'ope the hobbits didn't go there." Harry sent one last look towards the Barrow Downs over his shoulder, and shuddered.  
  
"Captain Sparrow-"  
  
"Call me Harry," the pirate cut Aragorn off. "I'll need a new name, come to think of it. The Dark Lord probably has agents everywhere, better not announce to him that I am a Sparrow."  
  
Aragorn nodded. "Do you have a nickname?"  
  
"'Green-Eyes', though I can't say I'm fond o' it."  
  
The Ranger stopped and studied Harry closely for a minute before speaking. "How about 'Calenglîn'?"  
  
"Not bad, what does it mean?"  
  
"It's elvish for 'green glint'."  
  
Harry sighed. "It seems as though I'll ne'er get away from the 'green' o' it all. Anyways, ye wanted to ask me something?"  
  
The other man nodded. "Sometimes when you talk, you talk like a lord, but other times like a pirate. Why is that?"  
  
"Don't know to tell you the truth. It has probably just stuck with me from my time as a pirate. And what am I supposed to call you? I suppose you don't want the Dark Lord to know that the Heir to the throne of Gondor is still jumping about."  
  
"Call me Strider. Or Longshanks. I am best known around Bree under those names."  
  
Harry nodded. "Right-o! So, tell me a bit about Bree. What sort of village is it? And, while we're at it, exactly _what_ are hobbits?"  
  
Aragorn hid a small smile. They had been discussing hobbits for the better part of the day, and still the pirate walking beside him didn't know what hobbits were. You had to compliment the man on his acting skills if nothing else. "Do you know what dwarves are?"  
  
"Dwarves? Yes, we've got a couple of colonies back on Earth. Why?"  
  
"Well, hobbits are slightly shorter, with curly hair and pointed ears. They look like children, though their feet are large and hairy."  
  
Harry nodded again. "Now I know what to look for, and what about Bree?"  
  
"It is an old village where men reside, though there are a few hobbit- families as well. Everyone knows everyone and everything, and Rangers aren't liked much I'm afraid."  
  
"No warm welcome then, check."  
  
Aragorn looked at the green-eyed man with a raised eyebrow, but shook it off. Perhaps people from the other world always acted slightly strange. "There is one man in town," he continued instead, "of whom we must be wary. His name is Bill Ferny, a shady sort of man. He is the type that would sell anything to anybody, and make mischief for his own amusement. He, more than anyone else, is likely to be aiding the Dark Forces."  
  
"Sounds like the typical idiot who doesn't know what he has gotten himself into," Harry commented. "Anything else I should be aware of?"  
  
"Whilst on my way to the Grey Havens, I passed through one of the three, smaller villages near Bree, Staddle. There I got to hear a lot about the 'southern folk' that had been arriving to Bree up the Greenway. They may have come from Gondor, but most likely from northern Harad."  
  
"The Dark Lord has made a nice web of spies and agents for himself."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
The rest of the trip down to the road was spent mostly in silence, with only the occasional question or remark or idea on how to approach the hobbits. Gandalf had told Aragorn earlier that day, sometimes after the meeting, that he had left a letter for Frodo with Barliman Butterbur, the innkeeper of the Prancing Pony.  
  
"But Barliman hardly ever remembers anything important," Aragorn told Harry with an annoyed frown. "We will be lucky if he hasn't burned the letter thinking it was some odd, useless piece of parchment."  
  
Harry chuckled. "I suppose you don't like Mr. Butterbur, then?"  
  
The other man snorted slightly. "I don't like him, and he doesn't like me. It's mutual."  
  
As they got closer and closer to the road, the scenery around them changed. The change from plains to shrubbery was somewhat abrupt in Harry's opinion, but it provided a good deal of ideal hiding places for the two men. To Aragorn's surprise, Harry barely made a sound when he walked through the underbrush. When Harry noticed the wondering look, he just grinned and mouthed 'pirate' to the other man. The Ranger shrugged and seemed to accept this, though his experience with the corsairs of Umbar had taught him that the pirates weren't good at sneaking through forests. As Harry and Aragorn reached the road they heard voices, and quickly ducked behind the bushes, peeking through the branches and the leaves.  
  
Further down the road there weren't two hobbits as first expected, but rather four. All were riding fat little ponies and had an extra for the luggage. With them was a man dressed in yellow boots, a blue jacket and a battered old hat with a striking blue feather in it. The man also had a longish, brown beard, and his face was brown and wrinkled, though it was merry and gay, and Harry blinked slightly surprised upon seeing a man dressed so colourfully. The man was also riding a fat old pony, who looked just as jolly as its rider.  
  
The two in the bushes shared a quick, surprised look before turning their eyes back onto the group.  
  
"– but perhaps our delay was useful as they could have lost our trace." One of the hobbits finished. He was rather elven-looking, Harry thought, and dressed nicely as well. There was also something... magical about him. Not the hobbit himself, but something he bore with him. Using his ability to see auras, Harry closed his eyes and focused on the hobbit. His probing was suddenly cast off by a powerful, dark force, making his head hurt.  
  
"He's the one," the green-eyed sailor whispered in his companion's ear, so low that none of the five on the road would have heard it.  
  
Aragorn nodded in silent understanding, and slowly started crawling backwards away from the road. Harry followed his example, adding a few spells silently to aid them in not even stirring a leaf. Before they got up and started running in a bent position towards Bree, they heard a little more of the conversation between the hobbits and the man.  
  
"Do you..." a hobbit who sounded quite young started. "Do you think we'll be followed tonight?"  
  
"Not tonight, I don't think," came the reply from the oddly-dressed man, and by then the two were out of hearing range.  
  
Harry and Aragorn kept jogging towards Bree, and Harry thanked every deity in heaven that working on a ship gave you great stamina, and all the times he had had to run from the redcoats helped as well. Altering between jogging and walking quickly, the two of them reached the gates of Bree half an hour later. By then the sun had set completely, and the gates were closed. Not to mention the fact that dark, ominous clouds started to cover the sky bringing the promise of rain later in the evening.  
  
Aragorn stopped in the last piece of shrubbery and crouched down. "There will be a guard on the other side, and we won't be let in with the way we look."  
  
Harry studied the gates. They weren't too high, though they looked sturdy. "I could always make another portkey, but that would be easy to see. Especially if we landed somewhere in the middle of a crowded street."  
  
"We will have to climb the gate," Strider decided. "The gathering clouds above should help as well in covering us."  
  
"I can just cast a Notice-Me-Not Spell over the both of us," the green-eyed pirate replied. "It won't work for long and it won't make us invisible, but it will be enough to get us over that gate and past the guard." He received a nod from the other man. "If you're ready then." Putting his hand on the top of Aragorn's head, Harry mumbled, "_Spectare ci-non_!". Then he repeated it on himself. "Ready to go, _il vero re di Gondor_."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"'Il vero re di' means 'true king of', and I do believe that 'Gondor' speaks for itself." Harry grinned and didn't let the other man get a chance to reply as he was already out of the bushes and busy climbing the wall around the wooden gate. As he had climbed the walls of several forts in his pirate-career whilst escaping, this little wall caused just as little trouble. By the time Aragorn had caught up with him Harry was almost entering the Prancing Pony, and, shooting the scowling man a smirk, went to sit down in a corner that was situated nicely between the fireplace and the stairs leading to the first floor. From there they could see the entire room and everything that went on without looking like they were spying on people.  
  
Aragorn narrowed his eyes at the pirate's back, but went up to the counter and ordered two beers from a nervous looking woman, then took them to the table Harry had occupied. Shooting a glare towards the seemingly totally oblivious _Calenglîn_, Aragorn brought out his pipe and started preparing it. "Are all pirates as cheeky as you?"  
  
Harry's green eyes glittered in the light of the fire as he grinned. "No, you're just lucky to be stuck with me." With that he took a drink of the beer, he looked around the room. Lucky for Harry he was sitting in the more shadowy part of their corner, and, unlike Aragorn, didn't need to have his hood up to hide himself better. The only thing you could see were his green eyes, glittering in the light of the fireplace.  
  
The Prancing Pony was a busy and cosy inn, though most of the people there found ingenious ways of avoiding the two sitting in the corner. That is, if they noticed them at all. Harry and Aragorn watched the door calmly and nearly without moving (Harry also had his first look at some local hobbits, two of them who were working in the inn), waiting patiently for the hobbits to appear. And their patience paid off, as about forty-five minutes later, four wet hobbits came in, and went up to the counter.  
  
"E-excuse me?" the elven-looking one said whilst looking up.  
  
Barliman was fortunately there at the moment and leaned over the counter. "Good evenin', little masters. If you're lookin' for accommodation, we have some cosy hobbit-sized rooms available, Mr...?"  
  
"U-Underhill, my name is Underhill." The hobbit, who clearly was Frodo Baggins, replied. "We're friends of Gandalf the Grey, can you tell him we've arrived?"  
  
"Gandalf?" the round innkeeper replied and seemed to think very hard. "Oh, yes, elderly chap, big grey beard, pointed hat." The hobbits nodded eagerly at the description. "Not seen him for several months."  
  
The four hobbits stuck their heads together, and seemed to be somewhat out of it for a moment at this piece of news.  
  
Harry and Aragorn watched as the group finally decided to stay at the inn, and were shown to their rooms by one of the hobbits that worked there. Half an hour later, the group was back and sat down at one of the tables, now and then looking nervously around at all the Big Folk. The two in the corner watched as one of the hobbits got up, went to the bar and came back with a pint. The next thing they heard across the room was a shocked exclamation of, "It comes in _pints_?! I'm getting one!"  
  
It was quickly followed by, "You have had a whole half already!"  
  
Harry chuckled at this, and Aragorn raised an amused eyebrow and continued puffing his pipe. The hobbit who had protested upon getting more to drink, then whispered something to Frodo Baggins, who turned discreetly towards the corner where Harry and Aragorn were sitting. As Butterbur came by, Frodo stopped him and asked something. What he had asked about became clear a moment later as Butterbur sent a quick, scared look towards the two in the corner.  
  
Being a pirate and very curious by nature, Harry cast a spy-spell so that he was able to listen in on what was being said at the hobbits table. He included Aragorn in this as well just in case the letter from Gandalf was mentioned.  
  
"They're some of them Rangers. Dangerous folk they are, wandering about in the wild," Butterbur was saying. "I don't know their true names, but the one with the hood is known as Strider 'round here." With that the innkeeper ran off to serve his customers, his fear and everything else forgotten.  
  
"Strider." Frodo mumbled and started to fiddle with the Ring.  
  
Harry's sharp Seeker-eyes caught the action at once, and he sent a worried look towards the man next to him as he cancelled the spell. One of the hobbits at the table stood up declaring that he needed fresh air and warned the other two to not do anything stupid.  
  
"_Calenglîn_!" Aragorn hissed suddenly whilst sitting up from his leant-back position, and Harry's attention went back to Frodo, who looked like he was in some sort of trance. "It's the Ring!"  
  
"_Spiculum_!" the green-eyes pirate whispered, directing the spell through the mass of people and straight to Frodo. The hobbit jerked as he felt something prickle him, and in the next second his head turned towards the bar where a rather drunk, young hobbit was declaring to the entire room that he knew a Baggins.  
  
"O' course I know a Baggins! There he is, Frodo Baggins!" the hobbit said and turned back to the people at the bar, continuing with, "He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side, and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side, if you follow me."  
  
Harry and Aragorn tensed even further as Frodo ran to the bar, slipped on someone's boot and fell to the floor. Harry saw the glint of the Ring twirling in the air before it somehow managed to land on Frodo's finger. And with a shocked exclamation from everyone in the room, the hobbit disappeared.  
  
"You go after the hobbit who left, and I will take care of this group!" Aragorn growled in a voice full of power, and Harry didn't argue. This wasn't a simple Ranger speaking to him, but a king, a king not used to being disobeyed.  
  
"Wait for me in their room," the green-eyed man said before he hurried out of the inn and out into the night air. The rain had stopped thankfully, but it was nearly impossible for him to trace the missing hobbit through the mud, as countless other feet had hidden his footsteps good. Growling, Harry took out his magical compass and followed where the arrow led him. It took some tries to find the right hobbit, as he had no name to go after, but after half-an-hour Harry found the hobbit he was looking for.  
  
There was a person bending over the little body, holding something that looked suspiciously like a dagger.  
  
"Hey, you!" Harry shouted and started running. The other person quickly disappeared amongst the houses, but Harry didn't bother to follow and instead concentrated on the hobbit.  
  
He was lying in the mud, cold and clammy, though he still had a pulse, and Harry thanked the gods for small favours. He kneeled down beside the hobbit, easily picked him up, and started walking back towards the Prancing Pony.  
  
The hobbit came to soon after and writhed like a snake, mumbling something Harry couldn't catch. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he stared up at the pirate carrying him, not really realising what was going on for a second. "I thought I had fallen in deep water!"  
  
"Calm down Master hobbit, you will be reunited with your friends soon enough." Harry replied and gently put the hobbit down, before putting a light hand on his shoulder, and leading him towards the Prancing Pony.  
  
"Who are you?" the hobbit asked a second later.  
  
"Later, Master hobbit, first we need to get to safety." Lightly pushing the hobbit down the corridor towards their rented rooms, Harry and the scared hobbit were passed by a very offended-looking Barliman Butterbur who was grumbling something about Rangers and Strider. _'Yep, those two really don't like each other.'_  
  
When he saw the door to their rooms, the hobbit shook himself out of his shock and started running towards the door. As soon as he got in – followed by Harry – he exclaimed, "Frodo! I saw them, I saw them! Black riders!"  
  
"Black riders?!" Frodo repeated. "Where?!"  
  
Aragorn made his way over to Harry while the hobbits had their own conversation. "Where did you see them?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I didn't. I got there in time to save the little guy from someone who wanted to kill him, but that person was most decidedly human. It was most likely Bill Ferny."  
  
"– watching the stars." The hobbit said as the two men tuned in on the conversation again. "Suddenly I shivered, as if something terrible was crawling towards me; it was a kind of deeper shadow amongst the shadows on the other side of the road, just out of the reach of the lamplight. It slid away at once, without a sound, and disappeared in the dark. There was no horse."  
  
"Which way did it go?" Strider demanded sharply.  
  
The hobbit jumped. Apparently he hadn't noticed the other man in the room before now. The other three hobbits on the other hand, were shooting curious looks towards Harry during the entire exchange.  
  
"Don't worry," Frodo said at last. "Both are friends of Gandalf, he says," he mentioned to Aragorn with his eyes, but it was clear that he still distrusted the Ranger, and now Harry as well.  
  
"It seemed as if it was following the road westward," the hobbit continued after a minute. "I tried to follow it. Of course, it disappeared almost at once, but I continued around the corner and as far as the last house along the Way."  
  
Aragorn sent a wondering look towards the hobbit. "You have a stout heart, Master hobbit, but still it was a foolish thing to do."  
  
There were further explanations of what had happened with the hobbit, Merry by name, but Harry tuned them all out, and instead concentrated upon searching for the dark auras of the Nine Riders. It took some time, but he finally found them. A cold, dark, empty sort of aura that reminded him of the aura of someone under the influence of the Aztec medallions; and they were heading fast in the direction of Bree.  
  
His green eyes snapping open, Harry caught Aragorn's eye. "Calenglîn?" the Ranger asked.  
  
"They are coming." Harry said quietly. "We must move, to another room if nothing else."  
  
The other man nodded, and turned back to the hobbits. "Pack some of your stuff. Calenglîn, go rent us a room, in the barn if Butterbur has no room left here, and tell him to keep guard tonight."  
  
Harry nodded and hurried out of the room, while the hobbits hurriedly gathered their things and Aragorn fixed the beds to look like there was someone sleeping in them.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
Harry and Aragorn were awake during the night, keeping guard. Aragorn was sitting beside the window and Harry was sitting by the door.  
  
Butterbur had provided them with a small room, right under the attic. All the candles were turned off, and only the embers in the fireplace gave off a small amount of light. The four hobbits were sleeping in the large bed, now and then a snore would come form one of them, otherwise the room was quiet.  
  
"You really have a thing for making people trust you," Harry whispered with a grin in Aragorn's direction.  
  
He received a scowl in return. "Don't make me hit you." Came the prompt reply, and the green-eyed man grinned even more. It seemed as though Aragorn was finally getting used to the totally insane ways of the pirates and picking them up as well.  
  
Just as Harry was going to reply to the comment, a nonhuman, otherworldly screech tore through the night, and their heads swivelled towards the window, and he went over. Outside there were several restless black horses with demonic red eyes, and Harry managed to get a glimpse of something black disappearing inside the door of the Prancing Pony.  
  
"Are you sure those wards of yours will hide us?" Aragorn asked as Harry moved back to his place by the door.  
  
"If it doesn't hide our presence completely, it will hide us enough to keep them from sensing the Ring." Harry replied and sat down in his chair.  
  
Frodo and the other hobbits woke up at the next couple of screeches. Apparently the Ringwraiths had discovered that there were no people in the room they had attacked.  
  
"What are they?" the young Baggins asked.  
  
"They were once men, great Kings of men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave them nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, and one by one they fell into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgûl."  
  
"Nazgûl?" Frodo repeated.  
  
Harry replied to that one. "Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all time they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you." After a short silence, the pirate continued: "I had no idea they were called 'Nazgûl' as well. Sounds a bit scarier than 'Ringwraiths' doesn't it?"  
  
From outside came the sound of horses galloping away and a couple of angry screeches that faded into the night.  
  
----------------....----------------  
  
I am sorry if someone is OOC. I tried to do a mix between movie-Aragorn and book-Aragorn, and I did my best to do the hobbits. Hope it's good enough.  
  
A drawing of our four favourite hobbits has been put up at my yahoo-group in honour of this chapter.  
  
----  
  
ITALIAN:  
  
Il vero re di... = true king of...  
  
LATIN:  
  
Spiculum = sting, arrow, sharp point, spear, dart  
  
Spectare ci-non = see us not  
  
----  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Delinka, chaser1, phoenixfeather6988, Stahchild, Lady Malfoy I, grand admiral chelli, Avemtilla, daemonwolf, cantfindagoodname, Laughing Cat, Inscribson, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Malfoy's Best Friend, pIPPINpIRATE, A- Brighter-Dawn, Kevin-McKay, JeanieBeanie33, kathy stgqvk, chibichibi386, Wren Truesong, WolfMoon, Dragon Rider22, Discordia-Erebus, Ciara, crazley, borne-shadow-childe, shinystars, A Sly Fan, Serpent of Light, TiffanyBlack2004, Hermione Malfoy Potter, Twilight Dusk, Ileana DuBaer, Lunawolf and Shea Loner. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** I seem to be losing my grip at writing insanity as the last two chapters have been extremely devoid of it. Not a good sign. Anyways, I've been asked if I'm going to pair Harry up with someone. Well, I am not totally sure, I have ideas for many pairings which are going to/might happen, but I am not completely sure about Harry yet.

Also, someone asked me where Jack was. Don't worry, we'll meet the man again before the end, but not in another couple of chapters at least. Depends all on the Long-Chapter Disease which I can't seem to get rid of.

Thanks to my beta and good friend, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Five**

Harry yawned and stretched and rubbed his eyes. He looked in the small mirror hanging over the water-basin, and groaned. He looked like hell. He looked even worse than Aragorn, as the other man had managed to get a few hours of deep, resting sleep. That the Ranger would trust Harry (and the wards he had put up) enough to relax and fall asleep made Harry feel honoured. Rangers didn't seem like the easily trusting type, yet here one was trusting his life to a _pirate_ no less. However, none of that made Harry feel more awake.

Grumbling, the green-eyed man leaned over in the chair and started digging through the backpack he had been carrying for the better part of yesterday. Thank heaven for Lightweight Charms, otherwise his shoulders would have been falling off right about now.

_'If I know Mrs. Weasley right, and I do,'_ Harry thought to himself, _'she would have packed a nice dose of potions in here somewhere. AHA!'_ pulling a small pouch which had been placed nicely between two jumpers as extra protection, the pirate sat up, enlarged it and started to look through. _'Healing Potion. Healing Potion. Healing Potion. Oi__! RUM! __Thank you, Jack!'_ Harry grinned and pulled the small hip-flask out. Putting it on his lap, he continued through the bag until he found the potion he was looking for. "Pepper-Up Potion, you can't beat it!" he mumbled and swallowed the entire vial which was quickly followed by some rum.

Feeling much better Harry repacked his pack, tied the flask of rum to his hip, and stood up and stretched. Sighing happily when he heard a satisfying pop in his back, he shook himself and walked over to the still sleeping Aragorn. Once there he spent another couple of minutes debating upon the correct way to wake the man. It had to be one that wouldn't lose the trust the other man seemed to place in him, yet also had to be pirate-y enough. Harry was very disappointed however, as Aragorn woke up on his own a second later.

Blinking Aragorn stared at the pirate before him, then his eyes narrowed. Why was Harry standing there looking like the most innocent thing in the world?

Harry, seeing the comprehension dawn in the Ranger's eyes, grinned and hurried over to the hobbits, shaking Merry and Pippin who were furthest away from Aragorn. "Come on Master hobbits, time to wake up."

Pippin mumbled something and rolled over, while Merry yawned and blinked. "What time is it?"

"Dawn," Aragorn replied and walked over to Frodo's side. "We must get going to avoid suspicion. Wake up Master Baggins."

"Come on mates, it looks like it'll be a nice day for travel." Harry said still with his seemingly ever-present grin in place. Then he turned to Strider. "About that, which way do we travel?"

Aragorn understood the question for what it really was – would they walk all the way, or would they use a portkey? – while the hobbits tried to wake up and follow the conversation between the two of the Big Folk. "We will use the portkey if you're willing to make us one."

"It will be ready in a jiffy," Harry said and looked around the room for something that could be used. Finally settling on yet another log, he picked it up and discretely waved his hand over it muttering, "_Portus_!"

Frodo and Merry, who were the only two of the hobbits awake enough to comprehend what was going on, gaped. "You're a wizard!" Merry exclaimed.

"Something like that," Harry replied. "Now, hurry up and get your stuff. Strider, where are you headed off to?"

"To settle the bill with Butterbur," came the answer. "He came in here last night while you were setting up the wards and demanded that we pay on the morrow. Or rather, he demanded that we pay there and then, but was called off by a customer and forgot about the whole issue." With that a slightly smirking Aragorn disappeared and the door was closed.

"Where did Strider go?" Pippin asked when he was finally dressed five minutes later.

"To talk with the innkeeper," Harry replied and snapped his fingers, removing the wards he had put up around the room and the inn. "He should be back soon, otherwise we will have to leave without him."

"What do you mean?" Frodo asked.

"The log you saw me charm is now a one-way travel device, and it is timed to go off soon. Ah, there he comes."

Aragorn entered the room looking sourly and glared when Harry snickered. Instead of bothering to get into a verbal battle with the pirate, the Ranger looked around the room to make sure they had removed every trace of themselves, and nodded in satisfaction. "Everyone ready?" the hobbits nodded and Harry held out the log. Aragorn cringed almost invisibly, but reached out and touched the wood with a finger. "Everyone take a hold." He said.

The hobbits looked somewhat vary and sceptical, but each touched the proffered log.

Harry smirked. "Don't worry, it won't bite. You'll only get… _slightly_ dizzy."

"Slightly dizzy indeed." Aragorn snorted and got ready for the spinning to start.

It didn't come.

The log did activate with a popping sound, but instead of the feeling of a hook behind ones navel, the group was sent to all sides of the room crashing into walls, tables, doors, you name it. The log itself hovered in midair, caught fire and was reduced to ash a second later.

Harry shook his head and slowly got to his feet from where he had crashed into the chair he had been sitting in throughout the night. Aragorn was getting up from his place on the floor as well and shot the pirate a confused look. Harry shook his head again. "It's not my fault, I bloody well know how to make those things, nothing that I did went wrong."

"Then what happened?" Strider asked and helped the fat hobbit named Sam, up.

"A ward," Harry replied after a minute of seeking throughout the room with his magical senses. "A ward hindered us in leaving, but it isn't one of mine." He followed the thread of power to its source and rubbed his eyes. "It's the Ring." He said at last. "It's hindering us in travelling with magic."

Aragorn sighed. "We might have expected it."

"I could have transported everyone else to Rivendell, and then come back to help Mr Baggins in reaching the place on foot-" Harry began, but was cut off by angry and indignant cries from all of the hobbits, three of them disapproving and one approving.

"But Sam," Frodo said, "If Calenglîn can get you there magically-"

"No, Master Frodo, I promised Gandalf not to lose sight of you, and I won't. I am walking with you, whether Calenglîn likes it or not!" came the steadfast reply.

Merry was next to speak up. "I am not letting you go off into the wild while I myself sit cosily in Rivendell and smoke my pipe, not after my experience with the Black Riders. Besides, how do we know that these two-" he mentioned with his head towards Harry and Aragorn, "-are friends and not enemies after all? What if it was Calenglîn's magic that hindered us in going?"

Sam nodded. "Yes, how do we know that they really are friends of Gandalf?"

Harry and Aragorn shared a look which was both amazed at the faithfulness the hobbits showed towards each other, and the slight worry of how to convince the hobbits that the two of them weren't going to kill them or take them to the Dark Lord in any way. They needn't have worried as Frodo came to their rescue a second later.

"I think that agents of the Dark Lord would seem fairer and feel fouler, if you follow me." The hobbit sent a look towards the two men.

"They're foul enough," Pippin muttered.

"If that's finished, how about we continue on our way?" Harry suggested. Not only was it a good suggestion, it was also a discreet attempt at changing the topic.

Aragorn jumped straight into it, taking over command and showing once again some of the king that was hidden in him. "Calenglîn, we will need a horse to bear all the supplies we'll need for the journey." The Ranger took out a map from a hidden inner pocket and he and the green-eyed man bent over it, talking in whispers as the hobbits settled back in and decided to order breakfast. "It will take us approximately a fortnight to travel from here to Weathertop," the man pointed out the route, "and from there it takes another week or so to get to Rivendell."

Harry nodded. "No road in fear of detection, check. Leave the handling of supplies to me. I can charm certain things to stay fresh long enough, which gives us a wider diet."

"Good, but do not get too much of such food," Strider warned, "that will wake suspicion for sure."

"As I said, leave it te me," Harry winked and the two of them looked up as a tired Butterbur – with his nightcap still on – walked into the room. "And here comes just the man I wanted to talk with," Harry declared with great aplomb and, putting an arm around the innkeeper's shoulders, steered the poor man out the door again. "Don't worry, breakfast will come soon enough!" he called back over his shoulder to the hobbits before the door closed.

Butterbur was finally catching on as to what was happening when they reached the stairs. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Quiet there, my good man," Harry replied, "I need to talk to you, and it would be better to not alert the entire town."

"What do you Rangers want now?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I'll do my best to answer." Releasing the other man, the pirate-captain leaned in and started ticking off on his fingers. "First a healthy breakfast for the good Master _Underhill_ and company, and then there are a few issues that _you_ are going to _help_ me with."

Butterbur glared and started stalking towards the kitchen. "Such as?" he demanded.

"Provisions for one, a horse for another." Harry sighed at the confused look on the innkeepers face. He could see why Aragorn didn't like the man all that well. "Right, lets start all over again. First of all breakfast for the hobbits…"

----------------....----------------

"What do you mean there are no horses left?!" Harry hissed trying to keep his voice low to avoid getting even more suspicious looks from the people in the room. It was well after dawn now, and Butterbur had just returned with the news that there wasn't a single horse left in the entire village.

"That's what I said!" the innkeeper growled. "Those… those… those _things_ scared them off and those that were in the stables were set free by someone sometimes durin' the night."

One of the hobbits working at the inn, stopped upon hearing this. "Um, I don't mean to intrude, see, but I know o' a horse."

Harry rounded on the hobbit so fast that the poor fellow nearly lost his balance. "Where? When? How much does it cost?"

"I-it belongs t-to B-Bill Ferny?" the hobbit squeaked.

Trying to keep himself from cursing every deity up there in front of other people, Harry sighed. "Right, my dear Butterbur, you go out and buy me this horse as fast as you can, or I will personally see to it that business goes very, _very_ badly for you for the rest of your life." All this was said in a dangerously low and calm tone, that even Butterbur recognised. The innkeeper nodded and hurried off, and Harry started on his trek up to the room where Aragorn and four hobbits awaited him.

He was greeted with curious looks upon his entrance, but wisely none of them said anything for a minute or two upon seeing the somewhat pissed-off look on the pirate's face. The green eyes were practically glowing, and the wild, shoulder-long black hair – held back by an old, red bandana which also carefully hid the infamous scar – seemed to be even wilder and fly all over the place. Finally Harry's anger disappeared and he plumped into the chair his backside had had plenty of time to acquaintance itself with during the night.

"Calenglîn?" Aragorn ventured. "How did it go?"

"Well, if you don't take into consideration that the only horse left in town belongs to Bill Ferny, I think it went pretty well." Harry replied with a cheer that was surprising and threw the others off for a bit. "Butterbur's off to haggle, our supplies are ready and waiting, all we need is the beast itself."

Frodo sighed and looked angrily at the pocket where the Ring lay. "If it hadn't been for this _thing_…"

"Now, Master Frodo, there's no use in thinking about the 'what-if's'." Sam said.

"I wish Gandalf was here," Pippin muttered. "He'd put everything right as rain."

"Mushrooms?" Merry asked, offering some of the mushrooms that were, surprisingly, left over from breakfast.

His question was answered with three versions of: "Yes, thank you."

Harry raised an eyebrow and shot a look towards Aragorn who was in the process of rolling his eyes. The Ranger leaned closer to the pirate, and whispered, "They love their food, and have seven meals a day. Breakfast, second breakfast, elevensees, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and supper, if I remember correctly."

"Holy mackerel, how do they get things done at all?"

"They're hobbits?"

"Right-o!" Harry nodded and sighed. He stood up and walked over to the window. Looking down on the street below, he remarked, "This really isn't the best start to our little venture."

"Does it bother you that much?" Aragorn asked as he came up beside the mood-changing pirate.

"Nope, just makes me more pissed off and more determined to reach Rivendell safely. I really want to go up to these Ringwraiths and gloat to them that we were safe despite everything they did to stop us." The now-familiar grin was once again present on the green-eyed man's face.

"You _are_ a strange one."

"Thank you." Harry replied promptly and his grin widened when he saw Aragorn shake his head in amusement. "Hey, looks like ol' man Butterbur actually managed to do something other than serve his guests!" the pirate exclaimed and the four hobbits ran to the window as well. All four of them watched as a woeful Butterbur came trudging up the street with a even more woeful beast by the reins.

"You think it'll survive the journey?" the pirate asked as the group watched the two figures coming closer and closer. "Better question: will it even be able to bear the weight of the supplies?"

"We shall see." Aragorn replied and led them out of the room and down into the courtyard of the Prancing Pony. While Harry and Aragorn carefully were arranging the supplies evenly on the back of the poor horse, the four hobbits were doing their best to console a distressed Barliman Butterbur, who was constantly moaning about the twelve silver pennies that were wasted on a 'worthless creature'. Upon hearing this, Sam quickly departed the group and came over to where Harry, Aragorn and the horse where standing.

"What is his name?" the hobbit asked and petted the horse lovingly.

"Don't know," Harry replied. "But whatever it was it couldn't have been nice as it was most likely Bill Ferny who named the poor beast."

"Why don't you give him a new name, Samwise?" Aragorn suggested and handed the ropes over to the hobbit.

Sam inspected the horse through narrowed eyes trying to find a fitting name, and in the end decided that 'Bill' was a good name as any, and from then on the horse was known as Bill.

Once everyone was ready, they started their trek out of the village, with Aragorn in the front, then Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam with Bill and Harry who was bringing up the rear. It seemed like the entire village had come to watch them off, but not all of the looks, nor all of the words shouted, were of a friendly nature, and if it hadn't been for the glares that both Harry and Aragorn sent them, some of the villagers would have thrown stones and vegetables and gods know what else long before now.

Just before they exited through the gate they passed the house of none other than Bill Ferny, and the man himself was standing there – leaning on his fence – and watching them pass with a smirk. He took his pipe out of his mouth, and spit on the road right in front of Aragorn.

"Morning Longshanks, and you too Green-Eyes," the man greeted them, and both Aragorn and Harry sent him a glare. Aragorn because he totally despised the man, and Harry because people were once again starting to call him 'Green-Eyes'. 'Calenglîn' he could handle, but 'Green-Eyes' was forbidden territory for anyone who wasn't a pirate. "Early out today, aren't you? Finally found some friends other than fellow Rangers, ey?"

Strider's eyes narrowed but he nodded. Harry felt a strong dislike well up in his chest for Bill Ferny, and the dislike bordered on hate. Even the hobbits and the horse were taking a slight detour off the road and away from Ferny seemingly to avoid a puddle.

"Morning little friends," Ferny continued with a smirk. "You do know who you have joined up with? This is the wild Strider himself, though I have heard him called worse names than that. I don't know anything about his companion, but he can't be much better. So watch your backs tonight. And you, Sam my lad, take care of that old pony of mine!"

Sam turned, fast as lightning, and replied, "And you Ferny, you should hide that ugly face of yours before something happens to it!" with a quick flick of the wrist the seemingly so peaceful hobbit had pulled out an apple from his pocket and thrown it at Ferny.

It hit dead on, and the group went on with lighter hearts, especially upon hearing Bill Ferny cursing after them.

Harry laughed and clapped the hobbit on the shoulder. "You, Sammy-Boy, are the Hobbit of the Day!"

Sam blushed slightly and bashfully started to find his feet very interesting, he reddened even more when even Aragorn added his congratulation into the hail of praise that came from Merry and Pippin and Frodo. "A waste of good apple," the hobbit muttered and automatically petted the neck of Bill the Pony.

Aragorn led them down the road until they reached the first serious swing, then he turned and headed off into the wild. The hobbits had to hurry along to keep up with the man's long legs, and Harry – who was still taking up the rear – used his magical skills to hide their few traces even more, so that it was almost impossible to trace them.

They walked for hours and hours, through a terrain that went upwards, then turned east and finally started on the road to Rivendell. There was a situation with the hobbits that Harry had found amusing and was reflecting on it when they made camp for the night.

The four hobbits had stopped and were starting to take out pots and pans, when Aragorn had turned and told them that they didn't stop until nightfall.

"What about breakfast?" Pippin had asked.

"We've already had it." The Ranger replied.

"We've had one, yes, but what about _second_ breakfast?" the hobbit had demanded. Aragorn had just turned and continued on, disappearing form the sight of the rest of the group behind some thick bushes.

"I don't think they know about second breakfast, Pip." Merry had said and packed up the backpack he had been given.

Pippin looked crestfallen. "What about elevensees? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? They know about them, don't they?"

"I wouldn't count on it," Merry had replied and looked up just in time to catch an apple that came flying towards him from behind the bush where Aragorn had disappeared. Catching the apple, Merry gave it to Pippin and patted the younger hobbit on the shoulder before continuing. Pippin had looked at the apple in his hand, looked up to the sky and had promptly been hit right on the forehead by another apple that came flying. Merry had called for his friend and they had continued the journey.

Harry couldn't help but grin every time he thought back on it. Aragorn, who was sitting on the other side of the fire, sent a suspicious look towards the smirking pirate, and decided that it was better to hear whatever insanity Harry had come up with now rather than spare it for a later date.

"What are you thinking about, Calenglîn?" the Ranger asked and brought the attention of the hobbits to the green-eyed man.

Harry, who had also decided that it was time for some insanity, grinned. "Just wondering about a song I heard. It's all about being one's own grandpa."

"Excuse me?!" Aragorn sent a look towards the other man. "One's own _grandpa_?! That's not possible!"

"You wanna bet on that, ol' boy?" Harry looked like a Cheshire Cat in the light of the fire. "Say, a day of watching over Albus Dumbledore for me?"

Thinking that watching over the old, silver haired, blue eyed man who he had already met, was an easy task (why was it done anyway?), Aragorn agreed. He began to regret it a second later when Harry started to sing a song softly.

"_Many, many years ago when I was twenty-three,_

_I was married to a widow who was Purdy as can be._

_This widow had a grownup daughter who had hair of red,_

_My father fell in love with her and soon they two were wed._

_This made my dad my son-in-law, and changed my very life,_

_For my daughter was my mother 'cause she was my father's wife._

_To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy,_

_I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy._

_My little baby then became brother-in-law to dad,_

_And so became my uncle though it made me very sad._

_For if he was my uncle then that also made him brother_

_Of the widow's grownup daughter, who of course was my step-mother._

_Oh, I'm my own grandpa!_

_I'm my own grandpa!_

_It's not funny, I know,_

_But it really is so!_

_I'm my own grandpa! _

_Father's wife then had a son who kept him on the run,_

_And he became my grandchild for he was my daughter's son._

_My wife is now my mother's mother and it makes me blue,_

_Because although she is my wife she's my grandmother too!_

_Oh, if my wife is my grandmother then I'm her grandchild,_

_And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild._

_For now I have come to the strangest case you ever saw,_

_As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa! _

_Oh, I'm my own grandpa!_

_I'm my own grandpa!_

_It's not funny, I know,_

_But it really is so!_

_I'm my own grandpa!_

_Oh, I'm my own grandpa!_

_I'm my own grandpa!_

_It's not funny, I know,_

_But it really is so!_

_I'm my own grandpa!_" Harry raised an eyebrow when he was done. Aragorn looked sour and was glaring at the pirate, and the four hobbits looked to be in various states of trying to hide their laughter. Frodo was politely hiding his smile behind his hand, Sam had suddenly found something wrong with Bill the Pony and had hurried off though they could still hear some snickering, and Merry and Pippin were rolling on the ground, a hand over their mouth and another clutching their stomach, laughing their heads off.

"That's the last time I enter a bet with you or any of your _friends_, Calenglîn," the Ranger muttered. "You are totally insane, mellon nin."

Harry blinked. "What do nine melons have to do with me being insane?"

----------------....----------------

A few days later they were walking through a marsh. Luckily it wasn't too deep, but it was filled with all sorts of biting insects, Aragorn later informed Harry that the place was named Midgewater Marshes, which the pirate found very fitting.

Aragorn led the way through the marsh, and the hobbits trudged after to the best of their abilities.

"What do these things eat-" Merry slapped at a bug "-when they can't get hobbit?!"

Pippin tripped and fell face first into the water. Harry quickly pulled the hobbit up and, deciding that the group had had enough of being wet and bugged by the bugs, cast a few charms to keep the water form penetrating their clothes and another charm to keep the bugs away from them. Even Aragorn cast a thankful look towards the pirate as he was rid of the nuisance of bugs and upon suddenly being dry again.

That night they stopped at the edge of the marshes, and Aragorn went out to hunt them some food while Harry and the hobbits set up the camp. After failing several times to light the fire in the normal way, the green-eyed pirate growled and muttered, "_Incendio_!" and a nice fire sprang up scaring Pippin and making him fall off his seat.

"How about a song while we wait for Strider to return?" Merry asked, and the four hobbits looked at Harry.

"What?" Harry asked. "You want me to sing?" he received nods in return. "Why?"

"Your songs are… amusing," Frodo replied with a grin. "And we need something lighthearted right now."

"Alright," the pirate finally conceded. "But you owe me a song of your own after this, savvy? Lets see then, something lighthearted but not insane… hmm…" After a minute Harry started on the song.

"_This looks familiar, maybe familiar,_

_Almost unreal, yet, it's too soon to feel, yet,_

_Close to my soul, and yet so far away,_

_I'm going to go back there one day._

_Sun rises, night falls, sometimes the sky calls,_

_Is that a song there, and do I belong there?_

_I've never been there, but I know the way,_

_I'm going to go back there some day._

_Come and go with me, it's more fun to share,_

_We will both be completely at home in midair._

_We're flying, not walking, with featherless wings,_

_We can hold on to love like invisible strings._

_There's not a word, yet we're old friends who just met._

_Part heaven, part space, or have I found my place?_

_You can just visit, but I plan to stay,_

_I'm going to go back there some day._

_I'm going to go back there some day…_" just as he finished Aragorn stepped out of the shadows with a deer-carcass over his shoulder. The Ranger nodded towards Harry in silent answer to the other's question. Yes, he had been there and heard the entire thing.

"That was wonderful," Sam sighed. "It reminds me of the Shire."

Frodo nodded. "And we _are_ going back there some day!" he declared. "We can go back as soon as we get the Ring to Rivendell, which is even further than we thought we would ever have to bear this accursed thing."

"Calenglîn," Aragorn looked up from where he was working on the carcass. "Do a Search for us?"

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. He let his magical senses flare out and searched for the empty auras of the Ringwraiths. He found three north of them, three south of them and one following the road back towards Bree, but for some reason he couldn't find the last two. "They aren't close enough to be of much worry right now," he told the Ranger. "But I will put up wards just in case."

The hobbits eagerly ate their fill and more of the deer when it was roasted, and rolled themselves up in their blankets.

"Go to sleep, mellon nin," Aragorn said to the pirate once the other was finished with putting up his wards. "You have kept guard the last two nights, and now it's my turn."

Harry nodded gratefully and found his own blanket. "The wards will sound like small silver bells if an enemy gets too close." He told Strider before he yawned and fell asleep.

Aragorn smiled at the green-eyed captain and settled back for a long night of watching and listening. Taking a leaf out of Harry's book, he started to hum softly. It was an elven song, a very long one, and would keep him going for quite some time.

"Who is she?" the voice of Frodo asked form behind him, and Aragorn turned. "The woman you sing of?"

" 'Tis the lady of Luthien, the elf-maiden who gave her love to Beren, a mortal."

"What happened to her?" the hobbit asked.

"She died," sighing the Ranger turned back around. "Get some sleep Frodo." The hobbit laid back down and was asleep a few minutes later.

However, Harry, who also had heard the conversation and lifted his head. "Why the long face, mate?"

"Nothing, Calenglîn, go to sleep."

The pirate raised an eyebrow, but decided not to push the issue – for now. There was something fishy about this, and Harry intended to find out exactly what. With a muttered 'good night' Harry also fell asleep and left Aragorn alone in the night.

----------------....----------------

Damn, corny ending, but I seriously couldn't come up with anything else, so bear with me.

Lots of Muppet-songs here. The first one is my absolute favourite, and the second is one I really like as well. Of course they don't belong to me, but I thought them rather fitting for this chapter.

Thanks to:

Andine, Lunawolf, Discordia-Erebus, chaser1, Kathy stgqvk, HeeroYuyZ, pIPPINpIRATE, Avemtilla, simpleinsanity, Wynjara, Stahchild, grand admiral chelli, candidus-lupus-full Moon, daemonwolf, Twilight Dusk, Quatre Winner, Raven Darkwyng, phoenix catcher, Lady Malfoy I and SSSRoaB.


	6. Chapter 6

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer: **I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** Is this story unpopular or something? Not enough insanity? Characters out of character? I seem to get fewer and fewer reviews with each passing chapter. It worries me. Anyways, enjoy. Not much insanity, but lots of running from evil thingies.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Six**

Harry and Aragorn watched as the four hobbits collapsed on the ground.

"This was once the great watchtower of Amon Sûl. We shall rest here tonight," Aragorn said and dropped a bundle of cloth on the ground. Sitting down on his heels, he uncovered four small swords – daggers really – and handed them to the hobbits. "These are for you. Keep them close."

"Where are you going?" Pippin asked looking up at the two Men.

"To look around," Harry replied with a small smile. Aragorn shot him a raised eyebrow at that. "Don't worry, Strider, the hobbits can see for miles from up here which will make it difficult for the enemy to sneak in up on them. I have also put up some wards just in case, and nothing will find them unless they give away their position."

Nodding, the other man stood up and together the two of them climbed down again. Once down there Aragorn silently nodded first in one direction and then in another in a clear order to split up. Harry nodded back and started making his way through the thick, tall grass following the base of the, well, hill-mountain for a lack of better word, where the ruin of Amon Sûl was placed. Turning he could see the four hobbits sitting and/or walking up on the ledge where they had been left, but there was no sign of Aragorn. Shrugging Harry went on, the other man could take care of himself.

After making a round around the base of Amon Sûl, Harry headed out and wandered in the wilderness for hours. Night fell and the stars came out. Nothing about the entire peaceful situation said anything about what was about to happen.

Harry was currently flying around in his hawk form as he hadn't had the opportunity to stretch his wings for more than a fortnight now. It was freeing to fly around in the night, he simply loved the feel of the wind under his wings, the way he could see even sharper in this form, the way the stars twinkled above him, the way he could see a bonfire approximately where Amon Sûl and the hobbits were...

Blinking Harry screeched to a halt in midair staring with wide eyes at the small bonfire in the distance, almost refusing to believe what he was seeing. _'Those bloody little... **hobbits**!'_ he growled mentally and started flying as fast as he could towards the bonfire. All four of them had heard what he had said about giving away their position, he had made sure that they had heard, and yet they had lit up a fire. How stupid could one get?! Oh, when he got his hands on one of those little... _'Too bad they aren't sailors, that way I could have thrown them into the brig for risking the success of a mission.'_

A second later Harry nearly fell out of the sky when he heard the terrifying shriek that broke the silent night. It was the same kind of shriek that he had heard once before, that night in Bree. The hobbits on the hill doused the fire and fled to the top of the tower effectively trapping themselves with no way out.

As he got closer, he could see the black-robed shapes of the Ringwraiths making their way up Amon Sûl, and the things looked more like dementors than Harry was comfortable with. Steeling his courage and resolution Harry continued flying towards the group atop the tower, ignoring all other instincts which told him to flee the place.

"Back you devils!" he heard Sam shout. It was followed by the clang of metal before Sam was roughly pushed out of the way.

Easily getting rid of Merry and Pippin, the Nazgûl advanced on Frodo who tripped and continued crawling backwards until his back met fallen rock, keeping him from fleeing.

By this time Harry was right over them and, transforming back to human shape in midair, the pirate held out his hand and roared, "_Expecto_ _Patronum_!" as he fell towards the ground. The silver stag burst out of his hand, looked around and raised itself on its back-legs once it saw the Ringwraiths. It drove them back until the things started to fight back, slashing the silver animal with their black swords. Harry had landed surefooted in front of Frodo at the same time and drew his sword which changed from the normal sword and back into the Sword of Gryffindor.

Now, standing face to face with seven advancing Nazgûl, Harry could honestly say he was scared shitless. Despite his tan he had gone pale as a sheet, but his green eyes never wavered from his enemy, and when the first attack came it was only reflex which saved him from being cleaved in half. But with the first stroke, Harry remembered where he was, who he was, and what was going on. It replaced the numbing fear from a second before, and he fell easily into the deadly dance with the Ringwraiths. During the fight he had the presence of mind to note that every single one of the creatures were wearing a medallion around their neck, a medallion of the Aztec gold.

Four of the seven Nazûl managed to force Harry out of the way so that the other three could get to Frodo, but they were time and time again forced back by the silver stag which Harry somehow found time to cast. In the end what seemed to be the leader of the Nazgûl walked straight through the patronus and advanced on Frodo. The hobbit drew out the Ring in panic and put it on, disappearing from the sight of his friends.

In the Shadow World Frodo looked up at the creature that stood before him. It was shining with a cold, ghostly glow and had a crown on. The robes were tattered and old, the face eyeless and ugly and the hands skeletal. One of these hands stretched out, calling the Ring to it. Frodo looked around for something or someone for help, and discovered a bright, warm, golden light not too far away. He could vaguely recognize Calenglîn's shape as the Nazgûl were still keeping him busy. But the sight of the golden glow was enough to give Frodo the will to draw the Ring back away from the Lord of the Nazgûl. The creature in front of him didn't like that obviously, and stabbed Frodo's left shoulder. At this another shadow joined the fight.

Back in the real world Aragorn used a flaming torch to drive the Witchking away while making sure the other two Nazgûl didn't reach him with his sword. The creatures started retreating as he kept swinging the torch around, and in the end they fled, one by one, until Harry's patronus chased the last of them off into the night.

The two men shared a look, Harry still as pale as a ghost but better than when he had been fighting, and Aragorn didn't seem to be much affected as he hadn't been there long enough.

"Strider! Calenglîn!" Sam called. He was lying beside Frodo, holding the other hobbit's hand. "Help him!"

Harry and Aragorn quickly fell down beside the wounded hobbit and expected the wound. Harry winced at the blackish colour around the edge of the entrance of the wound, he also remarked on the complete lack of blood which went against everything he had seen or experienced.

"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade," Aragorn growled and dropped the dagger as the blade itself disintegrated into nothing. "This is beyond my skill to heal."

"Fawkes!" Harry called which made the others look at him as though he was mad. He ignored them and called again, "Fawkes, where are you?!"

The bird appeared in a ball of flames and phoenix song startling the others in the group. Without fail the phoenix flew to the fallen Frodo and bent over the wound, letting his tears fall on the wound itself.

While this was happening Aragorn had leaned over to Harry. "What kind of beast _is_ that?"

"A phoenix," the pirate replied, anxiously watching the wound. "I'll tell you about them later." After a minute Fawkes looked up at Harry and trilled a short, sad note. His tears couldn't heal the wound, though Frodo didn't seem to be in quite as much pain. "You did your best, old friend." Harry whispered to the bird as it settled on his shoulder.

"He needs elvish medicine." Aragorn mumbled and scooped the almost unconscious Frodo into his arms. The other three hobbits and Harry quickly took care of grabbing their things and loading Bill the Pony again, and then they were off into the night.

"We're six days from Rivendell!" Sam said as he pulled Bill along. "He'll never make it!"

The Ranger, who had Frodo slung over his shoulder, muttered for the hobbit to hang on and followed the crimson Firebird that flew in front of him, shining slightly in the night and showing the way. Merry and Pippin were for once not talking, but hurrying along as fast as they could after him, with Sam and the pony behind them, and finally Harry taking up the rear as usual.

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The next couple of days were very stressing and taxing on all of them. Harry and Aragorn took turns in carrying Frodo, they also took turns in bathing the hobbit's wound with phoenix tears and a plant called Athelas respectively. Neither of the two helped much, but it kept Frodo from slipping completely into the Shadow World of the Nazgûl.

Four days after leaving Weathertop, the group made camp for the night by the statues of three monstrous trolls. Harry wasn't totally clear on how the trolls had come to be there in the first place, but apparently it had something to do with Frodo's uncle, Bilbo. Deciding to get the full story once they reached Rivendell safely, Harry sat down and started massaging phoenix tears on and around Frodo's wound. Fawkes looked worse and worse by the day, and Harry suspected that a Burning Day was coming. He only hoped that the Burning would happen in Rivendell and not here in the middle of the wilderness.

"Perhaps someone could sing something whilst we are here?" Merry suggested. "We haven't had a good song in ages."

"Not since before Weathertop," Frodo said and winced as Harry continued bathing the wound with the athelas as he had finished with the tears that Fawkes was willing to give right now. The other hobbits looked warily at their wounded companion. "Honestly, I am alright; feeling better by the minute! Perhaps Sam could sing us something?"

"Yes, go on Sam!" Merry backed him up. "You have more stored in that head of yours than most think."

Sam, looking bashful, muttered: "Oh, I don't know... But how about this one? It isn't real poetry or anythin', you see, just some nonsense. But these old statues just remind me of it."

"Go on Sam," Aragorn spoke up from where he was keeping guard at the edge of the circle. "We could all use something silly right now; silly, but _not_ insane." He shot a pointed look towards Harry who just grinned back.

"_Troll sat alone on his seat of stone,  
And munched and mumbled a bare old bone;  
For many a year he had gnawed it near,  
For meat was hard to come by.  
Done by! Gum by!  
In a cave in the hills he dwelt alone,  
And meat was hard to come by._" As Sam went on Harry lost track of the poem and went to the other side of the circle, and stared out into the night. He was quickly joined by Fawkes, and the phoenix settled on his shoulder.

"This is turning into something far beyond what I had feared," Harry muttered quietly to the brilliant fowl. "All I thought I'd be doing was to go in, get the medallions and get out. Now here I am, in the middle of nowhere, trying to get four hobbits and a bloody sadistic Ring to Rivendell. Just shows that not everything goes as planned, ey?"

Fawkes trilled a quiet note, making sure that he didn't disturb Sam who was still reciting the rhyme. Harry shot a look at the little group and couldn't help but smile. Hobbits had a way of working their way into anyone's heart, or perhaps it was just Harry who was going soft.

"Why aren't you taking Frodo to Rivendell the Fire Way?" the green-eyed pirate asked the phoenix on his shoulder. Fawkes shook his head and pointedly looked at his not-so-glittering feathers. "Because of Burning Day? And the Ring?" the bird nodded to both, and Harry sighed. He was really starting to hate the Ring. He could constantly feel it probing at his mental walls, trying to get in, to tempt him, but he refused it with all his might and so far had managed to keep it out. He didn't know just how much more strength he had left to keep it away.

"_Tom's leg is game, since home he came,  
And his bootless foot is lasting lame;  
But Troll don't care, and he's still there  
With the bone he boned from it's owner.  
Doner! Boner!  
Troll's old seat is still the same,  
And the bone he boned from it's owner!_" Harry heard Sam finish and the enthusiastic clapping afterwards made him smile again. He had no doubt that hobbits could ignore almost everything as long as there was some food nearby and someone willing to share it with you.

"Wonderful song there, Sammy-Boy," the pirate praised the hobbit. "Next time I'll be asking you to sing instead of the other way around, savvy?"

Sam was about to answer when a gasp from Frodo brought them all to the wounded hobbit's side.

"He's going cold!" Pippin cried out and hung on to a pale hand.

Aragorn grabbed Sam by the shoulders and forced him to focus on the Ranger. "Do you know the look of the Athelas plant?"

"Athelas?" Sam repeated. Harry had found out during the journey that the chubby hobbit was Frodo's personal gardener, which made his pirate-instincts kick in and wonder just how rich Frodo really was.

"Kingsfoil!" Aragorn tried again.

"Kingsfoil? Aye, it's a weed! That's the thing you bathed Frodo's wound with!"

"It will help to slow the poison," Strider handed a torch to the hobbit and together they set off into the darkness to search for the plant.

Harry, on the other hand, had called Fawkes over to him and the phoenix let its tears drop on the wound. "Merry, give me my pack. Hurry!" The hobbit did as he was instructed and Harry hurriedly searched through it for the healing potions. Finding the Pepper-Up, he had the other two hobbits help to keep Frodo in a sitting position, while he poured some of the potion down the Ringbearer's throat. "Come on, lad, come on! There's no need to visit Davy Jones' Locker just yet."

Frodo gasped and coughed, but some colour returned to his cheeks. However, he didn't wake up again.

"Calenglîn, it's hardly working!" Pippin panicked. "What are we going to do?!"

Green eyes looking around the clearing for something, anything, to use, Harry found that he didn't have an answer. Then he noticed another thing: the sound of hoof beats that came closer and closer. Praying to every god up there that it wasn't a Ringwraith, Harry stood up and drew his sword just in case. After the first fight with the Nazgûl on top of Weathertop, he hadn't bothered to hide the true nature of the sword, so now the hilt and the red rubies glittered in the light of the fire. Merry and Pippin had picked up their own swords and stood by Frodo's side.

However, the trio hadn't needed to worry. For when the rider arrived in the clearing it was clear that he wasn't a Ringwraith, but an elf. His horse was pure white and he rode without a saddle. The elf himself was dressed in travelling clothes with a warm cloak around his shoulders and a quiver full of arrows and a bow on his back.

To Harry's magical senses (and to Frodo as well because of the Ring) the elf seemed to shine like star – albeit a thinly veiled one. Long, blond hair stood out like a comet's tail when the elf strode over to Harry who had replaced his sword in the scabbard. "Ai na vedui! Mae govannen!{At last! Well met!}" the elf said as he shook Harry's hand. "I am Glorfindel."

"Wonderful to meet you, mate," Harry replied. "I am currently known as Calenglîn, and these three are-"

"Meriadoc Brandybuck," Merry took over the introductions. "And my two cousins, Peregrin Took and Frodo Baggins."

Glorfindel kneeled beside Frodo and put a hand on the hobbit's forehead. "This is beyond my ability to heal, he will need the help of Lord Elrond. And quickly." Picking the hobbit up, the elf placed him on his horse. "Where is Strider?"

"Out in the forest searching for Athelas," Harry said and held the rains of the horse.

"Lord Glorfindel?!" A voice rang out from behind them, and a second later Aragorn stepped into the small clearing with Sam on his heels. "Mae govannen, mellon nin!" then the two of them lapsed into a quick conversation in elvish, of which none of the others could follow.

"What are they saying?" Merry asked.

"They're speaking in elvish and that's the extent of my knowledge." Harry replied.

Glorfindel heard this and switched back to common tongue. "I have been searching for you for nine days," he told them. "There are five Wraiths behind you, and we might very well find the other four waiting at the ford. I will go ahead with Frodo," the elf continued. "Asfaloth can outrun the Nazgûl if he has to."

"And I'm coming with you," the green-eyed pirate decided. "Fawkes will stay here and protect Aragorn and the other three if need be, but I am coming with you. Besides, those bloody things owe me some Aztec gold."

"Asfaloth will not be able to bear you and outrun the Black Riders," Glorfindel pointed out as he swung himself into the saddle.

Harry snorted. "He won't need to," he said and in the blink of an eye changed into his animagi shape. Aragorn and the hobbits blinked and even the elven lord seemed surprised. Harry stretched his wings before taking to the air and nodding to the elf.

"Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!{ride fast, Asfaloth, ride fast!}" Glorfindel commanded the horse and the beast set off as fast as it could. And with a cry Harry followed them on swift and silent wings, leaving three worried hobbits and one Ranger behind.

"Did we do the right thing?" Sam asked. "Those things are still out there!"

Aragorn could only stare the way Glorfindel and Harry had disappeared. He was shaken from his thoughts by Fawkes landing on his shoulder, and he stroked the bird deciding to rest a bit more where they were before setting off again. All he could do was hope that Harry, Glorfindel and Frodo would be safe on their breakneck journey to Rivendell.

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Harry thought that they could praise themselves lucky. They had left the wood (aptly named Trollshaws) approximately ten minutes ago, and still there was no sign of a single Ringwraith. _'That has to be a good sign, right?'_ the animagus thought to himself. As soon as Harry had finished that train of thought, another shriek sounded and seven of the Ringwraiths rode out from both sides, quickly catching up with the elven horse.

'_Right, note to self: don't jinx things by thinking such thoughts.'_ Harry groaned and then focused back on the situation at hand. Underneath him Glorfindel was looking somewhat worried, but was still glaring at the Nazgûl as the creatures closed in on him and his precious burden. Knowing that he was going to seriously regret this later, Harry took a deep breath and dive-bombed the closest Ringwraith.

Before the creature realised what was going on, it had a face full of golden eagle. The large wings blinded the Nazgûl, and the thing was forced to slow down his steed. By the time he had brought up a hand to bat the fowl away, the bird was off and was attacking another Ringwraith with something golden in its talons. The Ringwraith felt around its neck, only to come up empty of one Aztec medallion.

Harry repeated this process five times under the process of the chase. Glorfindel didn't know if the man was insane or just braver than most, but he had to compliment him on the work he was doing – silently of course, there was no way that Glorfindel was going to admit to anyone that he was beginning to like the pirate. Spurring Asfaloth for the last time, the elven lord didn't take his eyes off the river up ahead. Never had he been so happy to see it as now.

With his talons clutching five of the medallions, Harry flew down for yet another one. But the Ringwraiths had by this time realised what was going on, and this time all Harry received for his hard work was a hard, metal-gloved slap which sent him barrelling past Glorfindel and way up ahead of them all. By the time he stopped spinning, Harry was just above the river. He looked around, trying to get the name of the rampaging hippogriff that had run him over, but was instead grabbed by Glorfondel as the elf rode past.

The elf didn't stop until he was over on the other side of the ford, and turned back to the Ringwraiths who had stopped right in front of the water.

"Give up the halfling, elf!" the Lord of the Nazgûl hissed. "And the fowl too!"

"If you want them, come and claim them!" the elven lord yelled back and let go of Harry who was finally able to realise what the hell had happened and where the hell he was and who was friend and who was enemy.

Transforming back to human shape, the pirate looked over the ford and held up the five medallions he had gotten hold of. "I assume ye'd be wantin' these back, ey mates?! Well then, come and get 'em ye bloody eunuchs!" he shouted with his pirate-accent in full force.

The Nazgûl hissed at the insult and forced their horses to start crossing. Glorfindel had plans for this, and closed his eyes to concentrate for a moment. "Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair! Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair!{Waters of the Misty Mountains listen to the great word; flow waters of Loudwater against the Ringwraiths!}" he whispered, his voice getting stronger and stronger as he spoke.

They heard the roar of huge amounts of water, water which brought with it stones and other things. Harry watched with fascination as around the bed a wall of water came, heading straight for the Ringwraiths. To him it seemed like the tops of the waves were shaped like heroic, glittering long-forgotten elven knights, riding on magnificent steeds, their manes, tails and capes flowing out behind them in the wind. He also thought he spotted a ship or two in there somewhere, but he didn't have time to confirm that before the wave was over the Nazgûl washing them away downstream.

Turning to the elven lord on the horse, Harry said, "Remind me to never piss you off."

"It is Lord Elrond's land and his river to command as he sees fit," Glorfindel replied.

Suddenly Frodo gasped and a sound came from him, not sounding totally unlike the sound that the Ringwraiths made. Both elf and man looked worriedly at the hobbit as the poor thing slipped into unconsciousness.

"That's not good," Harry muttered and quickly took out one of the last potions he had. Together the two of them managed to feed it to the hobbit, then they continued on their hasty journey to get Master Baggins safely to Rivendell.

"Captain Sparrow!" Glorfindel shouted to the bird. "Fly ahead and warn them of our coming!" he pointed out the direction and watched as the bird nodded and took off, flying as fast as it could.

When Harry landed in the courtyard of Rivendell he was totally exhausted, both from the breakneck flying and from the fight with the Ringwraiths. Several elves surrounded him at once and demanded to know what was going on. Managing to wheeze out for someone to get Lord Elrond, Harry slumped on a stone-bench.

Elrond arrived a minute or two later. "What is happening, Captain Sparrow?" the halfelven lord asked worriedly. "Where is Aragorn? The hobbits? And what happened to your cheek?"

Harry blinked and raised his hand to his cheek. He had a vicious cut from when one of the Nazgûl had slapped him away. "Oi, didn't notice." Then he shook his head and stood up. "Lord Glorfindel is arriving soon with Master Baggins. Said Master Baggins managed to get himself stabbed by a Morgul blade, whatever that is, and it is not a pretty sight."

Upon hearing this the elves in the vicinity sprung into action and ran around to get things ready. Elrond spoke quickly to another elven lord who had arrived with him, and the elf nodded before hurrying off to do whatever it was he was ordered to. Then Elrond turned back to the exhausted pirate.

"Your room is ready, and I dare say that your friends will be happy to see you again, Captain Sparrow," the elf began and started advancing towards the retreating pirate.

Harry knew that look, it was the look of a healer who was hell bent on terrorising their victim. Therefore he started backing off as fast as he could, and was ready to turn tail and run like the hounds of hell were on his heels. He never got that far.

"But you are not going anywhere until I have had a good look at that cut of yours, now _hold_ _still_!" grabbing the man's arm, Elrond spun him around and pushed him down on the stone bench. With gentle fingers he quickly examined the wound, decided that it wasn't infected nor did it need stitching, and extracted a large leaf from a pouch around his waist. "Keep this on the wound, Captain, and it should stop the blood."

Harry warily accepted the herb and watched as Elrond hurried off to help a newly-arrived Glorfindel. Elves were wonderful, the pirate decided. He had fully expected to be poked and probed into madness like he was when he happened to end up in Madam Pomfrey's or Gibbs' care, but instead it was a few gentle touches, a healing herb, and _voila_! good as new.

'_Note to self: next time when hurt go to Lord Elrond of Rivendell.'_ Harry thought with a grin as he watched the unconscious hobbit be carried into the house by several elves and followed by Lord Elrond himself.

"THERE HE IS!"

"HARRY!"

"UNCLE HARRY!"

"GREEN-EYES!"

"POTTER!"

Harry grinned upon hearing these exclamations, the last one could only come form Fudge. And true enough, a second later half he crew that had been stationed in Rivendell came running, and amongst them were James, Draco, Hermione, Albus, Cecil Darling, Fudge and Callahan. All of them surrounded him and started asking questions or complaining on some of their fellow crewmembers, especially Fudge, Callahan, and Albus Dumbledore's ongoing competition with Hermione Granger.

Still grinning, Harry allowed them to drag him off to the part of Rivendell which the pirates had been assigned, and couldn't help a small sigh. It was wonderful to be back among his friends (and foes, but he'd be dead before he told Fudge or Callahan that), and he could only hope that Aragorn and the other three hobbits arrived safely in a couple of days time.

"Alright, alright!" the green-eyed pirate shouted in the end, holding his hands up. "One thing at the time! First I am going to eat, then I am going to take a long bath, and lastly I am going to sleep. And no, Hermione, I will _not_ tell you anything that happened until I wake up _on my own_!" he stressed the last part, as Hermione was quite renown for being... er... _impatient_ in certain situations.

James led Harry to a room which had been left for him, and giggled upon the look the pirate-captain sent the people who had followed him. "Here's the room the elves prepared for you, Uncle Harry." The young boy said and opened the door.

"Thank you, lad, and as for the rest of you: don't wake me up unless the apocalypse is about to happen, and even then think twice before going through with the deed." With that Harry slammed the door in their faces and – forgoing his promises of food and bath – collapsed into the very comfy bed, out like a light in a storm.

Outside the door both Hermione and Albus glared at the door, both of them wanting to know what had happened.

James started shooing them all away. "Off with you! Let my uncle get some rest, ye bloody vultures!"

"But-" both Fudge and Callahan started protesting.

"SCRAM!!!!" James roared sounding more like a seriously pissed-off Jack Sparrow than the ten-year-old he truly was. And as no one really wanted to cross Jack Sparrow (or any of his relatives), they all beat a hasty retreat, leaving James to keep guard outside Harry's door until Harry himself emerged hours later and nearly tripped over the sleeping lad.

Shaking his head, Harry lifted the boy up and placed him in the huge bed, then wandered off searching for something to eat, and managed to get himself spectacularly lost at the same time. Which proved to be a very good thing in the end.

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Ahem, please tell me what you thought. Am I doing something wrong?

Next chapter: Bilbo! And certain other introductions.

Thanks to:

Lady Malfoy I, Lunawolf, chaser1, zimagesto, Elven Warrior1, Mikito, eriolgurl, ERMonkey Burner of Cookies, Wynjara, crazley, Shea Loner, SSSRoaB, JeanieBeanie33, Andine, Kaaera and Fate.


	7. Chapter 7

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** That's good to hear! Well, enjoy the following insanity.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Seven**

Harry grumbled. He was hungry, he was tired and he was spectacularly lost in Rivendell. What a start on the day!

"Bloody idiotic... no maps of the place... normal mortals couldn't possibly..." the green-eyed pirate growled to himself as he wandered through the gardens. It wasn't to say that Rivendell wasn't a very beautiful and peaceful place, far from it in fact, but they could've at least made a bloody map of the place so that normal mortals – such as himself – didn't have to get lost whilst searching for something as vital as food. He wasn't even sure he would be able to find his way back to the room he had been assigned and start from the start again.

'_This is great! I manage to survive those bloody dementor-look-alikes, and then I die of hunger in the very place that's supposed to be our salvation._' Harry groaned. _'If only I had Jack's compass-'_ at this thought he nearly wanted to keelhaul himself for his stupidity. He hadn't changed clothes at all since arriving, and in one of his pockets he still had the magical compass.

"I am so stupid." He muttered to himself as he took out the compass and held it up. "Please take me to the closest living being that can show me to the kitchens."

The needle started to spin slowly, then it stopped pointing somewhere westwards – to the left of his position. With new hope Harry set out on his newest expedition: finding the kitchen!

He had walked for about ten minutes (now fully admiring the beauty that was Rivendell) when he heard an elderly voice muttering to itself not too far away from his position, and being very curious by nature Harry went at once to check it out. After gently pushing some branches away, he saw exactly who was mumbling to themselves.

It was an old hobbit. He had white hair, was dressed in elven clothes, and his face held a look that one could always find on ones favourite grandfather. Beside him on the stone bench laid a pen, ink and a book which he was clearly writing in. The hobbit looked to be deep in thought, occasionally muttering to himself about rhymes and the Lonely Mountain, which Harry remembered seeing fleetingly on the map he had taken from Aragorn in Bree and still hadn't returned.

Deciding to step forward instead of lurking, Harry did just that. "Good afternoon to you, Master Bilbo Baggins." He said and couldn't help but smile when the old hobbit jumped and turned as quickly as his old bones would allow.

"Good afternoon to you too, my dear sir!" Bilbo replied joyfully, completely forgetting for a moment about whatever he had been thinking about. He eyed the man standing in front of him, and quickly realised that this was the one who had arrived with dear Frodo a few hours earlier. That also had to mean that this was the only pirate of the crew in Rivendell he hadn't met yet, the leader himself: Captain Harry Potter-Sparrow. "Captain Sparrow! Well, this is certainly a wonderful coincidence! That I should meet up with just the Man I wanted to speak with!"

Harry smiled and walked further onto the small patio and Bilbo stood up as well. "You have a wonderful nephew, Master Baggins," the pirate captain said as the two shook hands.

"Yes, yes, Frodo is a wonderful lad. Both Lord Elrond and Master Albus Dumbledore say that he is going to be alright. But do take a seat, Captain! I have many questions to ask you, and although I have been talking very much with Miss Granger over the past month, some things can only be answered by the leader." Bilbo sat back down and carefully placed his book and writing utensils on his other side so that Harry could sit down.

"And what can I do for you?" Harry asked as he sat down. He had completely forgotten his hunger and mission to find the kitchen. Besides, if he knew something about hobbits from all his weeks of travelling with four of them, then supper should soon have Bilbo moving towards wherever it was he ate supper, and Harry could use that and find himself a bit of food as well.

Bilbo studied the man beside him taking in the tan skin, the wild black hair, the red bandana, the golden earring and the gold tooth, and also the very dirty travelling clothes. Harry followed his look, and wrinkled his nose upon seeing the dirty clothes. With a grumble and a wave of his hand he had changed them into clean pirate gear, and had also used a quick Cleaning Charm on himself. Bilbo blinked slightly at the use of magic, but apparently he was more used to it (what with Gandalf around all the time) than Frodo and the others, Harry assumed.

"Well then, shall we get on with it?" Harry asked with a smile. "And please, call me Harry."

"Excellent idea, Harry," the hobbit said with an answering smile. "Yes, I am indeed wondering about several things, but first of all could you please tell me what happened during your travels with Frodo?"

'_Who would've thought that hobbits could produce such a cute puppy-dog look?'_ the pirate thought to himself. _'And who can refuse such a look?'_ he added before starting on the tale.

----------------....----------------

During the next couple of days Harry spent much of his time in Bilbo's company being thoroughly questioned about ships and the sea by the hobbit – even if the Baggins' admitted that he didn't like deep waters, apparently no hobbit did. If he wasn't in the old hobbit's company, he was being interrogated by Hermione and Albus. Very rarely did he have time to relax nicely and just not do anything but laze about with only his thoughts for company, nor did he have much time to spend with Lord Elrond and the other elven lords – a thing he regretted immensely. Think of all the things he could've learned from beings several thousand years old!

Gandalf the Grey also appeared in Rivendell the same night Frodo was brought in. He didn't tell anyone why he looked like he had been trampled by a stampede of griffins, instead he quickly disappeared into the Last Homely House and, according to the rumours, had helped Lord Elrond and Albus Dumbledore heal the hobbit, before going to bed himself.

Frodo healed nicely, albeit slowly, and every day the chances of him waking up got better and better. Aragorn and the remaining three hobbits arrived in Rivendell three days after Frodo, and Harry was the one who first greeted them in the courtyard.

"Ye made it!" the pirate exclaimed happily. Two elves hurried past and took Bill the Pony from Sam, but the hobbits all ignored them. Instead the small creatures were focused on Harry demanding news about Frodo. "Easy, easy, there lads," Harry laughed and held up his hands. "Frodo's just fine, and is healing nicely. We got him here just in time, and Lord Elrond's one great healer. So relax, enjoy the view, have something to eat, go to sleep, and visit Frodo tomorrow morning."

A maiden came to show the hobbits to their rooms and even though Sam protested he followed her without much trouble.

Aragorn studied the green-eyed man beside him and his grey eyes narrowed. "What happened to your cheek?" the Ranger asked and mentioned to the pale scar.

Harry winced. "A rather bad run-in with one of those Ringwraiths." He replied, then stuck a hand into a pouch at his belt and drew out a medallion. "But I did get five of these little beauties before that happened." The pirate handed it over to the other man for scrutiny.

"It's so... so..." Aragorn wasn't sure what to say. It looked exactly like the replica Harry had shown them all those weeks ago, but there was something different about this. He couldn't name it, but it felt like a want, a need...

"It calls to you, doesn't it?" Harry asked the other man quietly, and Aragorn nodded before hurriedly handing the medallion back to the pirate. If he kept it much longer he'd steal it and run off and hide somewhere where he knew no one could find him. "Now you know what to expect from these little things," the green-eyed man continued and stuck the medallion back into the pouch. "So, if you see any lying around whilst jumping about in the wild, give me a call, savvy?"

"Trust me, I will," Aragorn shuddered at the feeling he had gotten when he held the medallions. He felt so empty, so much like a 'Wraith. "Apart from the run-in with the Nazgûl, I trust you had a nice trip?"

Harry nodded as the two of them started to walk into the Last Homely House. "Pretty good yes, except I was dead tired when I finally got here. Hey, where's Fawkes?"

Aragorn seemed very uncomfortable at that question and twitched a bit, then stopped and brought out a large cloth from his backpack. "We were making camp last night, and the bird came too close to the flames," he held out the improvised pouch to the pirate. "And he, well, caught fire?"

The green eyed pirate just grinned, which was far from what Aragorn had expected.

"That all?" Harry chuckled. "Here's your first lesson on phoenixes then, my dear _il vero re di_. Phoenixes represent eternity, life and death, the endless circle of it all." Whilst talking Harry unpacked the cloth revealing lots of ash and...

Aragorn couldn't help but gasp.

A little baby bird stuck its head up form the ashes and chirped to Harry who grinned even more. "They literally burn up once a month, and then are reborn from the ashes."

"Elbereth!" the Ranger whispered and reached out towards the tiny head. Fawkes chirped again and rubbed his featherless head against the offered hand. "I have never heard of such a thing before."

"I'll take that to mean that you don't have phoenixes here in Middle-Earth." Harry smiled. "Now, if you don't mind, mate, I need to get this little chick to a safe, warm place, and you need to get some serious rest – and a bath while we're at it. Hop to it!" Harry pushed the other man down the corridor with one hand.

Aragorn managed a scowl around his yawn. "Who's supposed to be the king here?"

"You are, but as you said '_supposed_ to be', not '_is_ the king of'." Harry replied with a grin and ducked out of the way of Strider's half-hearted swipe at his shoulder.

"You pirates are completely impossible."

"And I quite agree."

Shaking his head, Aragorn smiled and took Harry's advice and headed towards his chambers while the green-eyed pirate headed to the wing the pirates had been assigned. In the Ranger's opinion his pirate friend was totally impossible and at times completely insane.

----------------....----------------

'... _not good. The orcs are multiplying like rats, and are attacking more and more boldly. We have 30 men stationed around in Ithilien, five of those in Osgiliath and further north, and five of those further south keeping an eye out for the Corsairs of Umbar. I have placed 25 of the crew inside Minas Tirith, and the other 15 are spread out throughout the villages in Gondor. _

_I have managed to become a Ranger of Ithilien, and have also managed to get close to a certain Lord Faramir, who is the second son of the Stuart Denethor who currently reigns in Gondor. Between the two of us, Harry, I must say that Denethor's a complete and utter a-'_

Exactly what Ron thought of Stuart Denethor, Harry never got to read as he was interrupted by Lord Elrond and a couple of his advisors entering the room, along with Bilbo who was currently munching on a honey-pie, and Gandalf who was patting on a pipe.

"Ah, Captain Sparrow," Lord Elrond began upon seeing the pirate. "How fortunate that we should meet now rather than later. How is your cheek? Any lingering pains?"

Harry smiled and put the letter away. "No, nothing at all. You truly are a wonderful healer, Lord Elrond." The pirate replied. Harry constantly felt completely idiotic while talking to the elves, at least the lords. They used such a formal way of speech that Harry didn't use even when talking to the Minister of Magic any other important person. "You wanted to speak to me?" he asked trying to imitate the politeness that seemed so natural to the elves.

"Yes indeed," this time it was Gandalf who spoke up. "Captain Sparrow, in a couple of days we are going to hold a meeting concerning the One Ring and what to do with it. A man from Gondor, elves from Mirkwood, dwarves from the Lonely Mountain, and others from the surrounding lands, and we would very much like if you yourself joined the meeting to represent the pirates."

An eyebrow was raised. "Why me? Albus Dumbledore is a much better choice for this as he has attended far more official meetings than I have."

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow himself. "You are the one who the Valar spoke to, are you not?"

"Yes, something like that."

"Then you are the leader of the pirates, and not Master Dumbledore."

Harry blinked and slowly nodded. "If you put it that way then. Alright, I will be at the meeting, just give me a shout when the meeting is to be held." Quite frankly he still couldn't see why everyone here looked at him as the leader of the entire pirate-ensemble (Jack or Dumbledore would be a much better choice), but Glorfindel's statement he couldn't argue with, and decided to just go with the flow and see exactly where it brought him.

Bilbo lit up. "Wonderful, you can sit by me then and keep me company. No matter what, meetings are always one certain thing: boring. And I have learned that you can run a most interesting commentary." The hobbit grinned and his clear eyes glittered at that particular memory. One morning the two of them had been talking, they had wandered onto the training grounds of Rivendell where several elves were busy trying out their sword skill or their skill with bow and arrow. And Harry hadn't been able to resist, and had started commenting on everything in his usual pirate way. Well, at least Bilbo had enjoyed it as opposed to the elves that were commented on.

Elrond couldn't help but smile slightly, while Glorfindel and Erestor (the other advisor) smiled as well. Gandalf on the other hand, just looked annoyed and shot the green-eyed pirate a reprimanding look.

"Captain Sparrow," the grey wizard began in a voice which clearly declared that a speech was a-coming. "As amusing as it was to hear about that little... _incident_, I would prefer if you kept your funnier comments to yourself."

Harry looked at the istar. The man honestly needed to relax and get a hobby other than running around in the world and trying to save it. However, Harry managed to refrain from telling Gandalf that, and hereby also proved the point that he didn't have to run a commentary all the time. Ha, take that Gandalf Killjoy!

"Well, what can I say?" Harry said in reply to the comment. "I'm a pirate."

"You most certainly are!" Aragorn's annoyed voice came from the doorway, and the Ranger himself stepped into the room. The man stalked over to Harry and glared at him, poking him in the chest as he spoke. "This is the last time I make a bet with someone as insane as you!"

Harry grinned and pushed the hand away. "Looking after Dumbledore too difficult for you, mate? And don't say I didn't warn you before we made the bet."

Aragorn snorted and looked ready to stop off and sulk, but instead he just huffed and shook his head grumbling something that none of them caught. The elves looked mildly curious but didn't ask. However, Bilbo didn't apparently have as polished manners as the elves, and practically demanded to hear the tale, which Harry was more than happy to tell to Aragorn's further annoyance.

Just as Harry finished the little story, there was a commotion in the corridor and Harry quickly stuck his head out upon hearing familiar voices. Dumbledore and Hermione were standing there glaring at each other. Hermione was clutching a book to her chest and Dumbledore was eyeing said book with a calculating look.

"No disrespect Headmaster, but shove off!" Hermione said. "I got to this book first, and it's the only one from Lord Elrond's library that I haven't read yet – at least until I can finish learning the elven language."

"My dear Miss Granger, it is the same case with me." Dumbledore replied. "And as you know, age before youth."

"Beauty before ugliness, no offence."

"Employer before employee."

"Women before men!" Hermione retorted and smirked in triumph. She quickly buried her head in the book and got lost in the world of words. Therefore she didn't notice Dumbledore sending her one of his colder looks, before taking out his wand, flickering it and conjuring up a soft pillow, took the pillow from the air and promptly hit the young woman with it, before grabbing the book and taking off down the corridor. Hermione emitted a small shriek and ran after the old mage grumbling and cursing under her breath.

Harry turned back to a blinking Aragorn and raised an eyebrow. "And you call _me_ insane?"

----------------....----------------

The next day something wonderful happened. Frodo Baggins woke up from his coma-like sleep, healthy as can be if not a bit on the thinner side. After a short meeting with Gandalf in his own room, the hobbit was led out of the place by a very happy Sam.

Harry had been sitting with Merry and Pippin telling them about phoenixes, when Sam and Frodo walked out and the four hobbits had a most joyous reunion. Then Frodo turned to the green-eyed smiling pirate sitting off to the side.

"Thank you for risking your life to save mine," the hobbit said and held out a hand.

Grabbing and shaking it, Harry replied, "The spice of life, little friend. It was the least I could do, and I got a damn good deal out of it too."

"A scar on your cheek?" Frodo raised an eyebrow.

"No, something better... but lets not talk of that right now, all will be explained in the, ah, end." Harry worded himself carefully as he knew that neither Sam, Merry or Pippin knew about the oncoming meeting, and he also knew that Frodo would know what he was talking about. "It's wonderful to see ye at such excellent health, mate, but there's someone who'd be much more happy to see ye." Harry grinned and moved out of the way allowing Frodo to see Bilbo who was sitting on a bench a bit off writing in his book.

"Bilbo!" Frodo shouted and ran over to his uncle.

"Come on, mates," Harry herded the other three hobbits out. "Let 'em have some peace for this."

Later that same day Harry managed to find his way into the Hall of Fire. Elves were singing and playing soft, calming music; in one corner Harry thought he saw Aragorn and Lady Arwen – a remarkable woman he had only met twice before – talking, leaning closer together than necessary. He also noticed a man there. The man didn't look like a Ranger, and Harry supposed that this was the man from Gondor of which Elrond had spoken. Wanting to get a feel of the man, Harry started to move in his direction, but instead managed to collide with a small person who was taller than a hobbit, but smaller than a man.

"Beg yer pardon, mate!" the green-eyed pirate exclaimed and quickly helped the person up. "Didn't mean te walk straight into ye!"

"Quite alright, quite alright," the person said in a gruff, deep voice which was hidden behind a long, red and robust beard. "A dwarf is not so easy to break! Now then, I am Gimli son of Glóin, at your service!" the dwarf bowed half-way and looked expectantly up at Harry.

"Captain Harry Potter-Sparrow," Harry replied. "Son of James Potter and Lily Evans, at your service." He said trying to imitate the mannerisms of the dwarf. "From what I've heard you dwarves are the best miners and smiths in Middle-Earth, Master dwarf." The dwarf puffed up proudly at this and bashfully tried to wave the compliment away. "Tell me of your craft. What kinds of jewels and metals do you seek for?" and with that the ice was broken, setting Gimli off on a long and wide explanation of mines, dwarves and their craftsmanship. Harry tried to follow it all, and commented upon the parts he knew (i.e. the value of jewels and gold, etc) which delighted Gimli, but otherwise the green-eyed pirate just spaced out and only nodded now and then.

"So that's why there seemingly are no dwarf women!" Gimli finished a part of his speech.

"And I thank the Valar that I have never seen one!" a blond elf replied from where he was leaning against the wall. He was tall and beautiful like the rest of his kind, but he was dressed in clothes dyed in various colours of green and grey. "Captain Sparrow, I am Legolas Thranduilion of the elven realm of Mirkwood. It is good to finally meet the one of whom I have heard so much about, though I didn't expect I would find him in the company of a... a _dwarf_."

Harry blinked upon the cold tone Legolas used when addressing Gimli and the dwarf glared straight back. "It's good to meet ye too, mate. I suppose we'll talk more tomorrow?"

"I look forwards to it." Legolas replied and – sending one last look towards Gimli – departed and joined a group of elves dressed as himself.

Gimli growled. "Elves, you can never trust them!"

"Never say never, Master dwarf." Came the amused reply. "Never say never."

----------------....----------------

Well, what do you think? Please tell me.

LISTEN UP!!!! Someone asked me if I would pair Harry up with someone, and I have got ideas for all of that, but it's all up to you.

**1.** should I pair him with a woman that totally hates his guts and breaks his heart?

**2.** should I pair him with a woman who isn't ready for a relationship and just wants to be friends?

**3.** should I pair him with a woman and they get a happy ending?

**4.** should it be an original character or a cannon character?

Please reply to this, because if you don't the in-the-very-early-stages sequel to this will be largely affected.

Thanks to:

Lunawolf, chaser1, S.Malfoy, SSSRoaB, cAJUNpIPPINpIRATE, eriee, Alaranth-88, no mA'AM, JeanieBeanie33, candidus-lupus-full Moon, crazley, Stahchild, Heart and Mind, Yasha, Demoncat4, Andine, Kaaera, Shitza, simpleinsanity, kathy stqgvk, Lady Malfoy I, phoenix catcher, Wynjara, Lady Nicole Potter, Claoudednine, Discordia-Erebus, Ms.L.P.Weasley, Laughing Cat, Elfprincess, Padfoot's Sidekick, Dark Sorceress Hecate, Jean-Claude Iscarot and Prussiluskan.

Sorry if I missed anyone, the review-thingy's decided to go crazy again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note: **This story will be more fast-paced than the book, but I don't think it'll be as fast-paced as the movie.

Thanks to my beta and good friend, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Eight**

"Captain Sparrow?"

Harry looked up at the inquiring voice, and stood up from the desk when he saw Legolas approaching him. He smiled to the elf and put away the magical compass. It wasn't that he didn't trust the elves with the secrets of the compass, but he rather thought that enough people knew its secrets.

"Good morning Legolas," the pirate greeted the elf and showed him to a couple of comfortable chairs on the sun-filled terrace. The Mirkwood elf accepted the invitation, and sat down in one of the chairs, while Harry took the other. "Is there anything I can help you with, or is this purely a social call?" Harry continued whilst looking curiously at the blond elf.

"A bit of both, I'd have to say." Legolas smiled. "I am most curious about your adventures, and I was also wondering if you would tell me about the sea and her mysteries."

Harry resisted raising an eyebrow. "Why not talk to Círdan the Shipwright? He and his people have sailed the sea a lot longer than I have."

"In most elves who see the sea the longing to sail into the West and to fair Valinor becomes too strong to ignore, and hardly ever do they appreciate again the beauty of that which is left here in Middle-Earth." The elf explained. "I have no desire to leave Middle-Earth and my home yet, and Lord Círdan hardly leaves the Grey Havens. I have only met the Shipwright once before, and I was barely an elfling then. Please Captain Sparrow, tell me of the sea."

Studying the blue eyes Harry smiled slightly. The longing for the sea had already awakened in Legolas, even if the elf didn't know it yet himself. Deciding to indulge the elf, the pirate started describing the feel of the sea as it rocked the ship, the feeling of freedom, the calmness he felt while looking upon the blue mistress. He also told of the storms, the anger of the sea, the fight to keep the ship afloat for another minute, hour, day. He described this to the best of his abilities, and Legolas listened with rapid fascination.

Their talk was interrupted by a flustered Hermione running out on the terrace and hiding behind Harry's chair. "Help me, Harry! He's gone mad!"

"Who?" Harry asked looking down at the woman as she carefully stuck her head out from behind the chair.

"Albus Dumbledore! Ron always did say the man was crazy, and here's the proof!" she pointed to an enraged-looking Dumbledore who stalked out on the terrace, then hid again.

Harry quickly stood up and approached the Headmaster. "What is going on?"

"The book! She took the book!" Dumbledore replied and brandished his wand towards the un-occupied chair ready to blast it to smithereens. "_Flagra_-"

"Mate, I don't think Lord Elrond will like it if ye started destroyin' his furniture," Harry said and quickly grabbed Dumbledore's wand. "Now, what's this about a book?"

Hermione, seeing that the old mage didn't have his wand, emerged slowly but still kept Legolas between herself and Dumbledore. The elf just looked amused and slightly confused. "Lord Erestor managed to find a book in the Common Tongue which we haven't read yet, and gave it to _me_. Now _he_ wants to steal it!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "How stupid can you get?" he muttered as he stalked over to Hermione, took the book from her and promptly copied it handing the original copy back to her and the other along with the wand to Dumbledore. "Satisfied?"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Dumbledore muttered.

"That's a rhetorical question, isn't it?" Harry deadpanned and watched as Dumbledore and Hermione left, both happy as can be with their noses stuck in the book.

Legolas stood up as well. "Your friends, Captain, are..."

"Insane? Nutty? Total idiots?" Harry suggested once it became clear that Legolas couldn't find the right word to describe them.

"... unique," the elf said in the end.

"Well, I guess you could describe them as such." The green eyes glittered with amusement. "Though I still think they're crazy."

"And yourself then?" Legolas raised a delicate eyebrow. "How would you describe yourself?"

"Totally and utterly and completely insane."

----------------....----------------

Harry bent over the map of Middle-Earth which was spread over the table, and put the magical compass in the middle of the map. "Where are the rest of the medallions?" he whispered and the arrow started to spin.

'_**Five in Rivendell'**_

"Yes, yes, I know that already." Harry grumbled.

'_**230 in Rohan'**_

He raised an eyebrow. So many medallions in Rohan? Why was that?

'_**20 soon reach Rivendell by Owl Post'**_

'_Not bad,'_ the pirate thought to himself. _'Wonder which group as been so busy.'_

'_**50 in Orthanc, Isengard, along with the Chest' **_

Alright, so the chest and fifty of the medallions resided in Orthanc. Once again he had to wonder why that was as Gandalf had said that Saruman or whatever his name was, was their friend. Come to think of it, the Grey Killjoy (as Harry had taken to calling the istar) hadn't looked too chirpy when he returned from Isengard.

'_Must remember to check up on that,'_ the pirate reminded himself, then concentrated back on whatever the compass said.

'_**Five found in Minas Tirith, Gondor'**_

'_In the capital of Gondor? Hmm, I wonder...'_

'**_50 by the western coast of Harad'_**

Harry's eyebrow rose again. Did that mean that those Corsairs of Umbar had a couple of the medallions and that there would actually be a sea-battle sometimes in the future? Either way, Jack would simply love these news.

His musings were interrupted by Cecil Darling who came into Harry's temporary office. The man was carrying a pouch and a letter, and both he treated as if they would bite his fingers off any minute.

"Pip pip and Bob's your uncle!" the younger man exclaimed.

"In English we say 'good morning'." Harry couldn't help but shoot back. He was a bit cranky that once again he had been interrupted in trying to figure out where the rest of the medallions were located. First Legolas and now Cecil Darling. "What do you want, Darling?"

"This just arrived by Owl, sir," the young man held out the pouch and the letter and Harry took them. "From Professor Snape I believe. Be careful, Captain, they bite your fingers off if you try to open them."

'_My eyebrow's going to get stuck in the UP-position,'_ the green-eyed pirate thought to himself. He put the pouch down on the table, and looked at the letter. On the front a riddle was written in Severus' spidery writing.

'_What is the name of the flag?'_

It was a very good question indeed as most people would at once reply with 'Jolly Roger', 'Stars and Stripes', 'the Union Jack' or something similar. Few would reply 'the Skull and Crossbones', though most would get the trick after a bit of thinking. How very like the Potion Master to write something like that.

Shaking his head, Harry muttered quietly: "The Skull and Crossbones," and the letter opened on its own.

'_Potter,_

_So far everything is going smoothly here in Rohan, not a bad country actually. The horses are some of the most magnificent of their kind that I have ever seen. _

_There have been a few attacks by those orc creatures and some wild men, and we have managed to get hold of 20 of the medallions. _

_Tonks has managed to become a serving-maid in Meduseld which is the seat of King Theoden, the Weasley twins have gotten jobs in the royal stables, and we have managed to give Poppy Pomfrey a spreading reputation as an excellent healer. Myself, I have managed to get close to Lord Éomer – the nephew of the king – at least as one of his more trusted men. Tonks also tells me she's on the good side of Lady Éowyn, the sister of Éomer. _

_There is one man here whom I am worried about: Grima Wormtongue, the councillor of the king. He reminds me of a mix between Riddle and Pettigrew, which is a rather odd combination._

_S. Snape'_

Harry quickly burned the letter after reading it. It wouldn't do for anyone else to sneak about and read the information. Then he turned to the pouch and, just like Severus had written, there were 20 medallions inside. Some were splattered with blood, others were bent one way or another, and some had lost a chunk, but even the broken-off pieces were included at the bottom of the bag. After adding the five medallions he had, Harry closed the pouch again, shrunk it and tied it to his belt.

"So, how many medallions do we have now, Captain?" Cecil Darling asked eagerly.

"Not enough," Harry replied vaguely. He picked up the compass and the map (which he _still_ hadn't returned to Aragorn) and walked out of the room with Cecil Darling on his heels.

Further down the corridor they met up with Glorfindel, who seemed relieved upon seeing them. "Captain Sparrow, good I found you. The council is about to start."

"What council?"

Harry ignored the question, and nodded to the elven lord. "Lead the way, mate."

"Captain, _what_ council? What is he talking about?" Cecil Darling asked again.

"That's for me to know, and you not to find out, Darling." The pirate-captain replied. "Now go and see if Hermione needs help with her research."

Cecil Darling nodded. "Aye sir." He said and disappeared.

Glorfindel led Harry to a terrace at ground-level. It was open with no roof and no walls. Comfortable chairs had been placed in a semicircle with a stone pedestal in the middle. Lord Erestor stood just inside and assigned seats as the different delegations arrived. He was careful to keep the dwarves as far from the elves as possible, which meant that the few humans sat between them. Frodo was placed one chair from the end with Gandalf on one side and Harry on the other. On Harry's left side sat Bilbo, then came the Mirkwood elves. Lord Elrond and his sons sat in front of the entire group, both to keep an eye at everyone, and to act as leaders of the meeting.

Once everyone had arrived, Lord Elrond stood up and looked at them all seriously. "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old." The half-elf began in a grave tone. "You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction, and none can escape it. Each race is bound to this fate – this one doom. You will unite-" he sent a quick look towards the dwarves and then the elves that were at the meeting "-or you will fall."

Then the council began in earnest. The dwarves from the Lonely Mountain, amongst them Gimli, told of how a man had come to them offering just about anything for the Seven Rings of the Dwarves. Unluckily for that man, most of the Rings had been eaten by dragons and those few that still existed the dwarves weren't going to give up. Still, their king had become worried, and had sent a party to seek advice from Lord Elrond.

Aragorn and Gandalf told of their long search for Gollum, finally capturing the creature and then turning him over to the custody of the Mirkwood elves. At this point Legolas looked very uncomfortable and spoke up.

"Alas!" the elf groaned. "The reason why I am here must now be told. Gollum has escaped, and not – as the Master Dwarf thinks – because of his own cunning, but because of our kindness. We let him out just about every day so that he could climb the trees outside the palace, and one day he disappeared with the help of orcs."

"Those are indeed grave news," Gandalf sighed.

Harry sat there calmly and listened to the entire thing. Beside him sat Bilbo, looking slightly miffed that no amusing comments were being uttered by the pirate, but he kept an ear at the conversation as well.

"This Gollum seems to me like a nasty little fellow," Harry muttered at last after listening to Gandalf's tale of Gollum's life.

"Nasty, but smart," Bilbo said just as quietly. "Not a very good combination when it plays against us."

Frodo looked at the two of them. "You don't think Gollum will be after the Ring now that he's free?"

"More than likely," Gandalf threw into their conversation. "And Saruman, who has turned against us, is also after It."

"There's nothin' te worry 'bout, Frodo," the pirate smiled. "All ye have te do once ye meet 'im, is blow the damn critter to kingdom come and be done with it."

Lord Elrond's voice halted them as he spoke again. "And now for the reason why we are here." He turned towards Frodo with a kind look. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo stood up slowly and seemed to be fighting with himself for a minute before placing the Ring in the middle of the stone pedestal. The council-members were silent as the grave, their eyes on the Ring.

"So it's true..." everyone turned to the speaker. The man from Gondor (Bormoir, or whatever his name was) stood up slowly and didn't take his eyes off the Ring as he spoke. "In a dream I saw the eastern sky grow dark, but in the west a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: 'Your doom is at hand. Isildur's bane has been found'." The man reached out towards the Ring.

"Boromir!" Elrond snapped worriedly.

'_So_ that's _his name,'_ Harry had time to think before Gandalf started chanting in the worst tongue the pirate had ever had the displeasure of hearing. The sky grew darker, a cold wind picked up, some elves put their hands over their ears while others screwed their eyes shut.

After a minute it was over, and Elrond dropped his hands from his temples, and glared at the old wizard. "Never before has anyone uttered words of that tongue here in Imladris, Gandalf Grey!"

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil!" Gandalf said gruffly and sat back down.

"It is a gift! A gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring? (paces) Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"

'_Bromi... Bara...'_ Harry groaned. _'Why did these people have so bloody difficult names?! Lets just call him Bob!'_ the pirate decided. _'Well, 'Bob' would certainly make a jolly good pirate.'_

Aragorn countered 'Bob's' statement by pointing out that the Ring couldn't be wielded by anyone else but the Dark Lord Sauron. At this 'Bob' got a little touchy and demanded to know what a _simple_ _Ranger_ could know of such matters. This in turn caused Legolas to jump up in Aragorn's defence, telling the entire council that Aragorn wasn't just some simple Ranger but the last heir of Isildur and the rightful heir of the throne of Gondor.

"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." The Gondorian man sneered and sat back down.

"Aragorn is right," Glorfindel spoke up. "None of us here can wield the Ring, nor can we let it be thrown into the sea without knowing what creatures from the deep It could corrupt."

"You have but one choice," Elrond said. "The Ring must be destroyed. One of _you_ must do this."

Harry blinked. "It took you-" he looked at the sun's position "-_three_ _hours_ to decide that tiny, little fact which could have been stated at the beginning of the council?!" Gandalf glared at him and Bilbo couldn't help but snicker quietly.

"What are we waiting for?!" Gimli demanded and brought his axe down on the Ring with all his might. By rights, the thing should've been completely smashed after a hit like that, but instead Gimli's axe was the thing which got smashed and the dwarf himself was blown backwards and landed on his back with a slightly shocked expression.

Harry's eyebrows rose at that. "It seems to me that to destroy the Ring, you have to go back in history and look at how it was made."

"Captain Sparrow is partly right," Elrond said. "We won't look at _how_ it was made, but _where_ it was made. It must be cast into the fiery chasms of Mount Doom, and only there can it be unmade."

"One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust; the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!" 'Bob' spoke up.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" Legolas said as he stood up.

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?!" Gimli jumped right up as well.

"And if we fail, what then?! What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!" 'Bob' demanded.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an _elf_!"

And they were off. Everyone started jumping to their feet and started arguing with each other. Even Gandalf jumped into the fray, Lord Elrond's sons had ganged up on a poor unsuspecting human, 'Bob' was arguing with Gandalf, and Legolas and Gimli were _this_ far from throttling each other. The only way Harry kept himself from starting to argue as well, was to constantly repeat to himself that this wasn't his fight and that he really had no say in this council.

Suddenly Frodo stiffened and Harry stared at the small chap. Then he heard it as well. A hissing chanting coming from the Ring. Its power grew, and Harry could feel something hammering against his mental barriers giving him quite the headache. He tried to ignore it at first, look like nothing was wrong, but a particularly brutal attack had him clutching his head in pain as he tried to keep the Dark Lord out.

Frodo cast a last look at the man he knew first as Calenglîn and now as Harry, and jumped up. "I will take the Ring!" he yelled but no one heard him. "I will take It!" he yelled again and this time people turned towards him. "I will take It, even though I do not know the way."

Gandalf smiled fondly and somewhat sadly at the young hobbit. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, so long as it is yours to bear." He placed a hand on the small shoulder and stood behind Frodo.

"If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will. You have my sword," Aragorn declared.

"And you have my bow," Legolas said and stood next to Gandalf.

Gimli, never to be outdone by an elf, quickly added that Frodo had his axe as well, then continued glaring at the Mirkwood elf who glared straight back. Then even 'Bob' added that if that was the will of the council, then Gondor would see it done.

"Hey!" a shout came form the bushes behind Harry and Sam ran past the blinking pirate and took his place beside Frodo. "Master Frodo isn't going anywhere without me!"

Elrond's eyebrows rose. "No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you two even when he's summoned to a secret council and you are not."

"Wait! We're coming too!" another voice yelled and Merry and Pippin ran up to Frodo and Sam. "You'd have to send us home tied up in a bag if you wanted to stop us!" Merry continued.

"Besides, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission... quest... thing..." Pippin said importantly.

"Well, that rules you out Pip," Merry said to his cousin who glared.

"Nine companions... So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Great! Where are we going?"

Harry chuckled at that last remark. He would have laughed outright if it hadn't been for the blasted headache. He'd have to seek out some Anti-Headache Potion as soon as the council was over.

Bilbo grinned and stood up. "Well then, since everything is decided I think it's time for after noon tea, perhaps even an early dinner?"

Everyone smiled fondly as the other four hobbits agreed heartily.

Only the Gondorian grumbled. "Hobbits." He muttered.

Harry heard him. "Oh shut up, Bob."

----------------....----------------

There, what do you think?

Lots of _Blackadder_-references here.

Would you believe it? 'Pirates and Wizards' has won THREE awards at the Crossover Awards! Best AU, Best Overall and Best Action!!!! YAY!!! Thanks to everyone who read the story, the one(s) who nominated me, and the judges of course!

Thanks to:

A-Brighter-Dawn, mscs3, Shitza, JeanieBeanie33, 1, j.c, eriee, crazley, ERMonkey Burner of Cookie, HarryPotter21, Dragon Rider22, Shaddow, kathy stgqvk, cAJUNpIPPINpIRATE, KD-Kid, Alaranth-88, Kaaera, Medusa; The Ancient Snake, Rising Phoenix1, wouldnt u like to kno, S.Malfoy, Larail, Prussiluskan, PaPa SmUrF, Lunawolf, thimblehurst, Stahchild, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Lady Malfoy I, Nimhotar, Discordia-Erebus, LoonyLoopyLisa, Starligth Dreams, Andine, Sauron the Deceiver, chaser1, TiffanyBlack2004, Xander's Sex Kitten, Wren Truesong, Lady Nicola Potter, Padfoot7085, A Sly Fan, bellashade, clazzypops, CrystalSparks and Kara.

Sorry if I missed anyone. The review-thingy is still crazy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** Yay! As promised we meet Jack and Bootstrap again in this chapter! Enjoy the insanity!

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Nine**

A week later everyone in Rivendell were up early – just after sunrise – to see the Fellowship off.

The pirates were strangely silent as they watched the different elves and dwarves saying goodbye to those of their own kind in the Fellowship. Bilbo was also there solemnly shaking the hands of Frodo, Merry, Pippin and Sam, and giving them occasional advice and orders to write down everything that happened to them, or at least remember it until next time they met.

Harry smiled as he watched Sam make sure that Bill the Pony was ready to travel, and wandered over to the hobbit. "Well, Sammy-Boy, ready for another adventure?"

"I don't think I am, Calenglîn," the hobbit replied. "But I am going wherever Master Frodo is, to Mordor and back if I have to." He added determinedly.

"Well, there is a good chance that you have to follow him there in the foreseeable future." The pirate said and tightened a rope that was too high up for Sam to reach.

Sam stopped what he was doing and looked up at the green-eyed man. "Why didn't you join the Fellowship? You helped us get to Rivendell in the first place, and I think that entitles you to join the Fellowship as well."

Shaking his head, Harry smiled. "I'd love te join the Fellowship, mate, but I've got me own journey to finish. But don't worry, we'll all see each other again before the end." Then he looked around and spotted the Gondorian man glaring at him, and leaned down to Sam with a wicked grin. "Besides, I don't think that 'Bob' over there would be too happy with me joining."

Sam couldn't help but snicker. Throughout the week Harry had annoyed Boromir to no end by calling him Bob, even though he had finally managed to remember the man's name. It was a great source of amusement to the pirates, the dwarves and the hobbits – even some of the elves. Boromir on the other hand, retaliated with subtle and not-so-subtle insults about pirates and corsairs and just about anything else he could fault Harry for, so naturally the two of them weren't on the best of terms. It was rather like the verbal fights between Fudge and Callahan and Harry, except that Boromir was a far better opponent.

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you." Lord Elrond spoke up.

"And the pirates!" Harry added with a grin.

Gandalf rolled his eyes, but didn't make comment on Harry's but-in. "The Fellowship awaits the Ringbearer," the grey wizard said instead and mentioned with an arm-movement towards the gates leading out of Rivendell.

Frodo hurried to the front, and Harry could hear him whisper: "Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?"

"Left." Gandalf replied and put a gentle hand on the hobbit's shoulder.

Harry stepped up to Aragorn before the man left, and extended his hand. "Good luck mate."

The Ranger grabbed it in a strong shake, and smiled slightly. "You too, Harry." The man sent one last look towards the stairs where Lord Elrond, his sons and Lady Arwen were standing along with the other elves, and Harry followed his look.

"Don't worry mate, as mushy and corny as this may sound it has to be said: love will always prevail in the end. Now get goin' before they leave ye behind!" the pirate pushed Aragorn out the gates with a grin and just waved when the other man turned around and glared at him.

The spectators slowly started to disperse as the Fellowship went around a turn in the road and left their sight. In the end only Harry and Bilbo were left, and the elderly hobbit walked up to the pirate whilst leaning heavily on his cane.

"I hope they will be alright out there." The hobbit said with a heavy sigh.

Harry put a hand on the old shoulder, and squeezed lightly. "They'll be alright mate," he said trying to give some comfort to both Bilbo and himself. He had a really bad feeling about this entire thing. "They're all tough people and Frodo is surrounded by the most faithful of friends. Besides, I have put out pirates all over Middle-Earth, and they will be able to keep me posted on the Fellowships progress, and help them if necessary."

"I hope it never comes to it that, Captain Sparrow," the elderly hobbit sighed again. "Well, I suppose that moping about here all the time isn't going to do anything. Say, Captain Sparrow, do you know any good pirate-poems?"

Harry blinked at the topic the hobbit chose to discuss, but went along. "Some, most of them aren't the most polite things you'll ever hear, but some of them are really good. Why?"

Bilbo grinned as the two of them headed back into the Last Homely House. "You see, lately I haven't been able to concentrate much on my book, as I was constantly distracted by a couple of poems which have been floating inside my head. Poems about the sea, inspired by yourself and the rest of your crew."

"Lets hear 'em, then." The pirate said whilst grinning. "Any poem made by you is bound to be good from what I hear."

The hobbit blushed slightly, but couldn't keep his grin off his face. "Your golden tongue can charm the birds out of the trees, captain!"

Harry just smiled and waited for Bilbo to start.

"_A wet sheet and a flowing sea,  
__A wind that follows fast  
__And fills the white and rustling sail  
__And bends the gallant mast;  
__And bends the gallant mast, my boys,  
__While like the eagle free  
__Away the good ship flies, and leaves  
__Old England on the lee.  
__  
O for a soft and gentle wind!  
__I heard a fair one cry;  
__But give to me the snoring breeze  
__And white waves heaving high;  
__And white waves heaving high, my lads,  
__The good ship tight and free –  
__The world of waters is our home,  
__And merry men are we._

_There's tempest in yon hornéd moon,  
__And lightning in yon cloud;  
__But hark the music, mariners!  
__The wind is piping loud;  
__The wind is piping loud, my boys,  
__The lightning flashes free –  
__While the hollow oak our palace is,  
__Our heritage the sea._"

The hobbit finished and somewhat shyly looked over at the pirate. Harry was sitting completely still, his eyes closed, his breathing deep and regular as if he had fallen asleep. But then, his green eyes opened and glittered like stars as they gazed upon the wonderful hobbit.

"That was one of the most beautiful poems I have ever heard, Master Baggins," the pirate whispered quietly. "You truly are a wonder at writing such things, and don't think I didn't hear about the poem you and Aragorn performed in the Hall of Fire not many nights ago. I am just sad that I wasn't there to hear it for myself."

Bilbo definitely couldn't keep the blush off his cheeks. "Well, erm, I-I had some help from Master Albus with certain parts. I had no idea that your country was called England. Such a strange and enchanting name."

"If you think that's weird, imagine my reaction to the names you have here in Middle-Earth!" Harry grinned.

"Indeed, my dear captain, indeed, I'll give you that one! Now, I thinks it's only fair that I hear one of _your_ poems, hmm?" the hobbit raised a challenging eyebrow, and Harry accepted the challenge with a grin.

"_A pirate is a merry man,  
__And he'll maraud all the gold he can;  
__But his real passion lies with the sea,  
__Where he can be free as free can be._

_Weigh the anchor and hoist the sails!  
__Wash the deck and polish the rails!  
__A pirate's life is a hard-working one,  
__But a bottle of rum awaits us when we're done._" Harry finished and raised an eyebrow right back to the hobbit. "Does it meet with yer expectations, Master hobbit?"

Bilbo just grinned and they continued with their poem-marathon, which the old hobbit won easily.

----------------....----------------

Night had fallen and gay music could be heard from several corners of Rivendell, along with happy laughter and song. Harry however, wasn't out there with the rest of them, but in his temporary room writing a letter to Severus and Ron, telling them about the quest the Fellowship had set out on, and ordering them to help the Fellowship if need be. It would be up to Severus and Ron to forward the message to the people in their groups.

"Fawkes," Harry called to the fully-feathered phoenix, and it landed on his shoulder. "Do you think you could take these letters to Severus and Ron? If you can't give them in person, just drop them as close to them as you get and trill something."

The phoenix trilled an affirmative and Harry held out the two letters which Fawkes picked up and then both bird and letters disappeared in a ball of flames.

Harry leaned back in his chair and sighed. He still hadn't gotten any news from Jacqueline's group. They had left for Lothlórien the day before Harry arrived in Rivendell, and since then there hadn't been a sound from them. He didn't know whether he should get worried or not. He stretched his arms and smiled happily at the sound of the bones popping, and was about to stand up and go to bed, when he froze.

Something or someone was trying to get past his mental barriers.

Harry's first instinct was to kick the presence out of his mind as his thoughts went straight back to the Ring, but then he noticed that this presence wasn't harsh or evil. Rather it was gentle and good and it was waiting patiently to be acknowledged.

'_Oh, what the hell...'_ the pirate thought to himself after a few minutes debating whether or not he should allow the presence to enter. _'Just hope this isn't something I'll regret later on.'_ Was his last thought before he lowered his shields and the presence entered.

'_Thank you, Captain Potter-Sparrow,' _a calm, female voice whispered in his mind. _'I am Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien. Your goddaughter, Jacqueline, asked me to contact you and apologise in her stead for not contacting you sooner.'_

Harry, who had no idea how to do telepathy, just sat there and blinked. Lady Galadriel was speaking mentally to him! Well, you didn't get that every day!

The Lady laughed as she picked up on his thoughts. _'I am most curious to meet one of the men that young Jacqueline holds in such high regard, and hope to see you here in Lothlórien as soon as possible. Not only that, but there are certain other things the two of us must discuss, captain.'_

The pirate frowned. He certainly hoped Jack hadn't gotten herself into some sort of trouble.

'_No, she hasn't,'_ the Lady said as she picked up on his thoughts once again. _'But she and my Marchwarden seem not to be on the best of terms.'_

Harry couldn't help but snicker. He knew just how terrifying Jacqueline could be when she was on the war-path. The poor Marchwarden probably had no idea what had hit him.

Once again the Lady's gentle laugh rang through his head. _'I think neither of them know what has hit them, my dear captain!'_

Both black eyebrows rose and hid themselves under the red bandana. What exactly did the Lady Galadriel mean with that comment?

'_How soon can you get here?'_ the Lady asked again.

Well, Harry first had to pay a visit to Jack and the ships. There they would have to lay certain plans, and try to time things as much as possible. Then he needed to come back to Rivendell and pick up James, and only _then_ could he set out to the Golden Wood. None of those things should take too much time, which mean that Harry could be in Lothlórien in three or four days.

'_Good, then I will see you then, and I look forwards to meeting both you and young James. Namárië farewell.'_ And with that the Lady cancelled the conversation.

Harry shook his head and brought his mental shields back up. He was beginning to realise just why Galadriel was considered one of the most powerful and wisest elves in Middle-Earth. If she could use telepathy over such distance, then she had to be _very_ powerful, and quite frankly Harry couldn't wait to meet her in person.

----------------....----------------

"Captain!"

Harry had to keep himself from rolling his eyes, and turned towards the man that came running towards him. "Yes, Darling?"

Cecil Darling stopped and wheezed. "Where are you going, sir?"

"Back to the Grey Havens. I have to talk to Captain Sparrow and Captain Bootstrap about certain things."

"Can I come with you, sir?"

"No, Darling, you can't."

"Why not, sir? _Please_! Miss Granger is working me like a House-Elf! Soon I wont have any hand left with which to write!"

"Then use your other hand." Harry suggested a bit snappishly. He had wanted a silent departure before anyone else woke up, but Cecil Darling's shouted pleas were going to wake up all of Rivendell. He ignored the younger man who followed him, and walked to the gates leading out of Rivendell proper.

"But sir-!" the young man tried one last time.

Harry cut him off. "Nope can't do, Darling. You signed up for this adventure without really realising just what you were getting yourself into. Now you have to pay the price for that."

Cecil Darling snapped. "I simply _refuse_ to do this anymore! I refuse being a slave to Miss Granger! I refuse-!"

Sharp, incredibly green eyes bore into the other's grey ones. "Are you _mutinying_, Mr Darling?" Harry hissed the question and drew himself up to his full height. He may not be a very tall man, but he had a presence that – when released – could intimidate the tallest of men.

And now Cecil Darling found himself wincing and squeaking a terrified 'no, sir'.

Harry raised an eyebrow, but backed down as well. He really hated using terror to keep his men in check as only bad and evil captains did that, but sometimes it was necessary. If he didn't do it, then the rumours would spread, and soon the entire crew would lose their respect for him.

"Good," the green-eyed man said instead. "And if you want to leave Miss Granger's service, then talk to Mr Malfoy and he'll see what can be done to transfer you to someone else. You are still young and not used to the ways of the sea, Darling, and just because you have the theoretical knowledge, doesn't mean you know how to use it."

"Y-yes, sir."

Harry nodded and watched the young man disappear back into Rivendell. He decided to keep an eye at the man in the future, but right now he had a meeting scheduled with Jack aboard the _Raven_. Picking up a twig, Harry quickly turned it into a portkey and he disappeared from Rivendell with a pop.

----------------....----------------

The small pirate-fleet still hadn't left the Grey Havens. It had been agreed that they wouldn't leave until Harry returned with whatever other information he could get his hands on in Rivendell, and then they would decide what to do next based on that information.

When Harry finally arrived, he was greeted with polite nods from the elves he passed on his way to the _Raven_, and once aboard the ship he was hugged by Jack and patted on the back by Bootstrap.

"Good to have you back again, Green-Eyes!" Jack grinned. "You've been gone far too long!"

Harry nodded in agreement. "I really _have_ been gone for too long. I think I'm losing my sea-legs."

Jack looked utterly horrified at that. "Losin' yer sea-legs?!"

Bootstrap rolled his eyes fondly at their antics, but didn't comment on it. Instead, the elder man asked, "What have you been able to find out since we last saw you, Harry? What happened with the hobbits?"

"I'm afraid that it only gets worse," the green-eyed man sighed. "Gods above, mates, this is even worse than the war against Voldemort!"

"That's really bad," Jack said. He turned to Bootstrap. "Could ye find yer son, yer daughter-in-law and Gibbs? I think we need every temporary captain there under this meetin'."

Bootstrap nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"Interrogate this whelp 'bout me son." Jack replied and started pushing Harry towards the captain's cabin.

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed. "There's no need fer pushin', ye old seadog!" Jack ignored him as usual and pushed him down into one of the chairs, then proceeded to do just what he had said and interrogated Harry about news about James.

It didn't take long until Bootstrap arrived with Gibbs, Will and Elizabeth, and Harry waited for the four of them to settle down before he started telling what had happened and the Legend of the Ring in greater detail. By the end of it all the faces in the room were grave and even slightly pale.

"Gods..." Jack whispered voicing all their thoughts.

"This is much greater than we ever thought it could be," Bootstrap said.

"Thank God that the Ring never came close to us." Elizabeth clutched her husband's hand in hers. "That poor Frodo!"

Harry allowed the group another couple of minutes to process the information they had received, then drew the map he hadn't returned to Aragorn yet, and put it on the table mentioning for everyone to gather around it.

"Here's the route the Fellowship's going to take," he said and pointed it out on the map. "And all our groups are stationed where they're supposed to be, which is a blessing both to us and the Fellowship if they need help. But here's what's worrying me." He pointed to the land all the way to the south on the map. "This is, as you can see, Harad. The Dark Lord's getting enforcements from there, not only enforcements on land, but also on the sea."

"Aye, these Corsairs of Umbar you've mentioned before," Jack nodded.

Harry nodded as well. "They will be coming up from here, along the coast and attack Gondor from the south and from the river. And Gondor won't be able to defend itself if it is attacked on both sides. Not only that, but these corsairs are in possession of 50 of the medallions, and the Gondorians won't have a chance to deal with that."

"Doesn't there exist a navy here?" Will asked.

"It exist, but not the kind of navy we're used with." Harry replied. "Here you have Dol Amroth. They are led by Prince Imrahil, and are the people here in Middle-Earth who deal with the sea and are actually good at it – if you don't count the elves from the Grey Havens and the corsairs. They have a small fleet posted here, in this river they call the Swanfleet – which they call the fleet itself as well. They probably have other ships stationed here and there closer to their own land, but the majority of it is by the Swanfleet."

"Well, why don't they just take care of the corsairs then?" Gibbs asked.

"Because they don't have the technology that we have, and most of their men are going to aid Gondor in defending Minas Tirith when it comes to it. Prince Imrahil's sister, Finduilas, married the current Steward of Gondor, Denethor II, and Prince Imrahil is forced to help Gondor in a matter of honour. So, naturally, he'll pull most of his men from the fleet. Besides, I don't think they will suspect an attack from the river."

"I see what you're getting at, Green-Eyes," Jack muttered as he studied the map. "This is definitely a job for us pirates, and not for some Swan-fleet. Should we barge in and shoot first then ask questions later, or should we keep ourselves hidden and wait for the opportune moment to strike?"

Harry smiled upon seeing the familiar glint in Jack's eyes. "Definitely the second one, Jack. I have no doubt that the corsairs have a way to contact the Dark Lord, and if you barge in like that you might ruin our whole plan, and run the chances of the other groups stationed around the continent."

"So, how fast do we set sail?" Elizabeth asked.

"Take your time and sail at normal speed down the coastline," Harry said. "Just wait for further information from me. Oh, and before I forget!" he drew out the bag at his waist and emptied its contents on the table. 25 Aztec medallions glittered in the lamplight. "I'll keep two of them with me just in case, the rest you will have to stash on the ships until we can get hold of the chest itself."

Jack nodded and distributed the medallions. The _Raven_, the _Stormeagle_ and the _Heron_ were going to hide five medallions each, while the _Phoenix_ and the _Weasel_ would take the remaining eight. "There ye go." The ex-captain said. "And get ready to sail in four days time."

Elizabeth stretched and yawned. "Goodness gracious, it's late. Everyone go to bed and we'll discuss this further tomorrow."

None of the men argued with her and they parted ways for the night.

----------------....----------------

Three days later Harry arrived back in Rivendell. He, Jack and the others had planned and plotted, trying to come up with something for at least every thinkable situation which might happen during the journey or during the fights with the corsairs. Every day they had stayed up very late, and when he was available, Lord Círdan joined their discussions pointing out some things which weren't drawn on the map, and providing them with a map that focused mostly on the coastline of Middle-Earth, unlike the map Harry had which focused mostly on the land itself.

"Uncle Harry!" James yelled happily upon seeing Harry. The young boy ran over and eagerly asked about his father whilst practically jumping up and down on the spot.

"Don't worry lad, your father's fine as can be." Harry replied with a grin. "He sends his regards, and told me to tickle you twice as mercilessly as usual since he can't do it himself."

James squeaked and giggled as Harry started tickling him. "S-s-s-sto-ho-op! U-uncle Ha-Ha-Harry-y!"

Harry grinned but stopped. "Well then James, are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" the boy asked.

"Ready to set off to Lothlórien, that's what!"

"You mean we're going?!"

"The Lady gave her consent a few days ago."

"YAY!!!!" James jumped off and raced to his room to pack. The green-eyed pirate just shook his head and grinned, then headed towards his own room.

He didn't get far before he was almost attacked by Draco Malfoy who looked completely pissed off, and did a wonderful impression of the animal he was named after. "We need to talk, Potter!"

Harry blinked as he was dragged into his own office, and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's _wrong_?! I'll tell you what's wrong! That little idiot who calls himself Cecil Darling is what! No matter where I place him, or who I place him under, he isn't satisfied and is always complaining about one thing or another! You've got to do something about him! I think even the _elves_ are starting to consider killing him only to shut him up. The dwarves already offered their services days ago."

The Man-Who-Lived sighed. "Alright, alright, you get the point through. I'll take him with me to Lothlórien and see if there isn't anything more fitting for him there. Go fetch him for me, will you?"

Draco looked so relieved to be rid of Cecil Darling that he didn't even protest being asked to fetch someone like 'a common servant'. The Malfoy-pride and I'm-holier-than-thou attitude had come back after the war. Either that, or it had never really been gone, Harry mused as he packed a few things.

Five minutes later he met up with James and Cecil Darling in the courtyard, and stopped to give some final instructions to Draco who would be in charge of the Rivendell-group of pirates once Harry disappeared.

"And thank Lord Elrond for everything, and tell him I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye in person."

"Alright, Potter, anything else?" the blond asked.

"Not really, no." Harry grinned and held out the portkey – a dagger – to the other two. James and Cecil grabbed it and a second later the three of them disappeared from Rivendell.

They appeared right on the outskirts of a beautiful wood. The leaves were green-yet seemed to emit a soft, golden glow, and some of the tree trunks were almost silver in colour.

"Wow!" James gasped as they entered the wood.

"Wow indeed." Harry agreed. "Come on Darling!"

"Yes sir!"

They walked for half an hour before something happened. An arrow came shooting from the trees and embedded itself in a trunk right in front of Harry. Cecil Darling squealed and James froze whilst clutching Harry's hand tightly.

"Uncle Harry..." the young boy whispered still keeping his wide eyes on the arrow. "Are you sure we're in the right place?"

"Captain Harry Potter-Sparrow?!" a musical voice yelled form the trees in accented Common. The speaker stumbled slightly over the weird name.

"Aye, that'd be me!" Harry replied. "And who might I be talkin' to?!"

In reply to his question someone jumped down from the tree right in front of them. He was tall and with blond hair. He was dressed in a greyish-coloured uniform which blended well with the silver trunks around them, and he carried both bow and arrows and a wickedly curved sword on his back.

"I am Marchwarden Haldir," the elf spoke. "And I welcome you to Lothlórien."

----------------....----------------

There, what do you think? Pretty long chapter.

Poem #1 was written by Allan Cunningham, and poem #2 was written by me.

Thanks to:

Serpent of Light, Shitza, eriee, crazley, Dragon Rider22, simpleinsanity, Kaaera, Lady Malfoy I, cAJUNpIPPINpIRATE, Digi Bonds, ERMonkey Burner of Cookies, Jo Lizard, Wynjara, JeanieBeanie33, SSSRoaB, Nordik, HarryPotter21, Herlad-Mage Brianna, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Andine, Lunawolf, chaser1, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Shaddow, Orlina and Lina Thanatos.

Sorry if I missed anyone, but my internet has gone crazy and I never know how long I'll be able to use it before it turns itself off.


	10. Chapter 10

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** Enjoy the following insanity.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Ten**

Harry could not help it. His eyes constantly went to their guide, his mind wondering why Jacqueline seemed to dislike Haldir. The Marchwarden was proud – perhaps a bit too proud, he was strong, honour bound, smart, and easy on the eyes. Not that Harry was an expert on the last item. He just couldn't figure out why his goddaughter and the elf didn't get along.

James skipped about beside Harry, sometimes daring to go closer to the elf in front of them. Each time the kid got close, Haldir would turn his head and raise an amused eyebrow, and James would scurry back to hide behind the green-eyed man. A few minutes later the routine would be repeated.

Cecil Darling was the last one in the group. The young man was strangely silent, and had been ever since they entered the borders of Lothlórien. Of course, Harry knew that good things never lasted and not long afterwards Cecil Darling started to speak again.

"How much further is it?" the young sailor asked and readjusted the straps on his backpack. "My shoulders are falling off, captain!"

Harry resisted an urge to clobber the man for ruining the peaceful mood of the forest around them. "Don't ask me that question, mate, 'tis the first time I'm here meself! If ye 'ave te ask anyone that question', it'd be our good Haldir over 'ere, savvy."

Haldir stopped and turned towards them. "We will have to either walk all night, or sleep out here and reach Caras Galadhon on the morrow."

James pulled at Harry's sleeve. "Can't we spend the night out here in the forest, Uncle Harry? It'd be so much fun to experience something like that, like an adventure in an adventure. Please?" the young boy turned on his puppy-dog look knowing that his uncle never could deny him anything when he used those.

"Alright, that is if ye have nothin' against it?" Harry looked at Haldir.

"It is fine with me, captain, I have to check up on a guard station not far from here anyway. We can spend the night there." The Marchwarden replied and they moved on.

It took them about an hour to get to the guard station, and by then dusk had seriously started to fall and James was almost dead on his feet. Cecil Darling looked only slightly better, and even Harry was starting to feel tired after traipsing through the forest all day long. Haldir stopped by a tree that didn't look any different from any of the others, and as soon as he was close enough a rope-ladder fell down through the foliage and the Marchwarden climbed up quickly.

"Right James, up with you," Harry said and held the rope-ladder steady as the young boy climbed. "Darling, you next." The green-eyed man said once James had disappeared into the leaves. Cecil Darling slipped a few times on his way up, but finally it was Harry's turn. A minute later Harry reached a wooden platform situated nicely between the branches of the tree, and was helped up by several pairs of hands. The rope-ladder was pulled up again as soon as he stepped away from the hole.

Looking around, Harry raised an eyebrow upon seeing blonde elves like Haldir all around. There didn't seem to be one elf with a darker hair-colour anywhere in sight. _'Well, Lothlórien **is** called the Golden Wood...'_ the pirate-captain mused. In the trees closest to the one they were in, he could see other platforms and elves sitting or standing around.

"Captain Sparrow," Haldir said and Harry snapped back from his musings. With the Marchwarden were another two elves, and all three looked so much alike that there was no mistaking the relation between the three of them. "Captain Sparrow, allow me to introduce you to my brothers, Rúmil and Orophin."

"Suilad, greetings," Harry said using what little of the elven tongue that he had managed to pick up in Rivendell. "Captain Harry Potter-Sparrow at yer service!" he declared and offered his hand.

The elf Harry thought was Orophin, grabbed his hand in a firm elven shake. "Máravë omentaina, Captain Potter-Sparrow."

"If I knew what that meant, mate, I'd be happy to return the sentiment – if it was a sentiment at all." Harry grinned.

Rúmil shook his hand next. "It is Quenya and means 'well met'. And you are well met indeed." Then, with a sly grin towards Haldir, Rúmil added: "You have a most interesting and charming goddaughter, captain."

Harry would have to have been born blind if he had missed the twitch that the Lothlórien Marchwarden performed upon the mention of Jacqueline, and he raised an eyebrow. James snickered quietly from his hiding place behind his uncle, and Cecil Darling just blinked in surprise. "Yes, she's quite the... _spirited_ young woman," Harry said at last and his eyes twinkled upon seeing Haldir twitch again. Then the pirate in him raised its head, and he couldn't help but tease the elf. "Marchwarden Haldir, is anything wrong?"

"Nothing at all, Captain Potter-Sparrow," the elf replied with a straight face. "Get some rest, captain. I'll be on one of the other talans if you need me." With that the elf disappeared.

"I think we scared him away," Orophin said after a while, and shared a look with his brother which spoke volumes.

'_My eyebrow has _definitely_ gotten stuck in the UP-position,'_ Harry thought to himself as James snickered again.

----------------....----------------

Caras Galadhon was amazing, Harry decided. The city had looked wonderful from outside the walls surrounding it, but once you got inside and started to climb upwards on the spiral staircases it was completely awe-inspiring. Especially when dusk fell and all the silver lights were lit; they made the elves look like perfect living statues of silver and gold, reflecting on their clothes and jewellery, and the occasional weapon as well as guards either came in from patrol, or made themselves ready to head out.

Haldir led them to the biggest mallorn-tree in sight and they started on the climb upwards, which seemed to take hours. James and Cecil Darling where practically dead on their feet once they reached the top, and Harry was feeling out of breath as well. Haldir on the other hand, looked like nothing and seemed to smirk slightly upon seeing the look Harry sent him. The Marchwarden had seemed to turn into Severus (to a lesser degree though) since that night in the talan, and it wasn't unusual to hear well-meant insults and jabs fly back and forth between him and Harry.

Before either of them could remark on anything, the platform they were standing on was filled with an unearthly light. It wasn't totally unlike the light which appeared around the pirates if they realised the hold on their aura, but this was a sharper kind of light, filled to the brim with wisdom, love, compassion and power. Harry had to close his eyes due to the brightness of the light, and when he felt that it was gone and that it was safe to open his eyes again, he did so and couldn't help but gape slightly at the sight which met him.

An elven man and an elven woman stood there in front of him. The man was dressed in white and soft, light grey clothing, while the woman was dressed in an amazing white dress. Their hair seemed to be spun out of pure gold, and magnificent circlets rested on their brows. Their faces were, like all elven faces, devoid of age and wrinkles, yet the light in their eyes spoke of the age and wisdom these two beings held. The Lord and Lady of Lothlórien stood there magnificently in all their glory.

James tugged on Harry's sleeve. "Uncle Harry, are they angels?" the young boy whispered in awe. Both the Lord and the Lady smiled kindly at this, and James hid his blushing face – and himself – behind Harry.

Harry cracked a grin at the lad's remark, then turned back to the Lord and the Lady in front of him. He put his left arm on the small of his back, placed his right palm with fingers apart over his heart and leaned forwards in a traditional wizard bow, his head bowed deeply and his eyes closed in a show of respect and trust. Cecil Darling quickly did the same, and James copied them as well as he could.

"Welcome to Lothlórien, Captain Potter-Sparrow," the Lady spoke in the same voice which had entered Harry's head a week ago, and the pirate-captain straightened. "I am Lady Galadriel, and this is Lord Celeborn. We are honoured to finally meet you face to face."

"The pleasure's all mine, Lady," Harry replied sincerely. "Let me introduce to you James Sparrow, my nephew." He gently nudged the young boy towards the Lord and the Lady. The boy seemed to be petrified with awe.

Lady Galadriel leaned over so she was on James' level, and extended a hand. "Come child, let me look at you properly." James hesitantly reached for her hand, but as soon as his fingers touched hers he relaxed and grinned up at her. Galadriel smiled as well and gently pulled the boy closer so that Celeborn could inspect him as well. Both of them seemed to take an immediate liking to the lad, a fact Harry had noticed with all elves. Come to thing of it, Harry hadn't seen any elven children running around. Not in one of the three elven populations he had visited so far.

"There is much goodness here, and wisdom. And I dare say an affinity for breaking rules," Lord Celeborn spoke with an amused tone to his voice as he looked James straight into the eyes. "Just like your father and uncle." The lad couldn't help but proudly puff himself up at being compared to his two role models.

"And potential for greatness," Lady Galadriel added as well before releasing the boy's hand. James walked dignifiedly back to Harry, as proud as the Statue of Liberty. The Lady straightened and continued speaking. "Who is your other companion, captain?"

Harry blinked. He had almost forgotten that Cecil Darling was still there. "One of my crew, and I'll let him present himself."

The young sailor took one shaky step forwards and managed a small smile. "C-Cecil Da-arling, at your-r s-service."

Galadriel stared at him as her husband spoke. "Welcome to Lothlórien, Master Darling. I hope you had a nice journey here?"

"Y-yes, thank-k you."

"Captain," Galadriel spoke up again and turned her attention to Harry. "You are all weary and need rest. Haldir will lead you to where we have set up camp for the pirate-group currently here." The Marchwarden tried to suppress a twitch, and ended up with a grimace. "May I request a private meeting with you at a later time when you have rested?"

"Anytime, Lady," the green-eyed pirate replied.

She nodded. "Good, I will contact you later then. It was nice meeting you, captain. Tenn' enquetielva, until we speak again."

Harry nodded politely and retreated along with the other three. Haldir explained the Lady's parting remark on the way down, but otherwise the Marchwarden seemed to just get twitchier and twitchier for ever step, making Harry wonder what the hell was going on between him and Jacqueline.

'_Well, I suppose I will find out soon enough,'_ the Boy-Who-Lived thought to himself and started paying attention to where they were going. He didn't need a repeat of the Rivendell-incident and get himself lost again. There were no nice hobbits around here to lead him back to the camp, and most of the elves in Lothlórien didn't speak Common.

Suddenly the shout of "HARRY!!!!" in Jacqueline's delighted voice rang through the trees of Lothlórien.

It was quickly followed by Anamaria's "GREEN-EYES, YOU'RE FINALLY HERE YOU OLD SCALLYWAG!!!!" and not long after that, the two women threw themselves on Harry sending him to the ground in one major bear hug.

A second later, Jacqueline noticed that James was there as well and attacked the boy with another one of her bear hugs. "JAMES!!!! It's so wonderful to see you!!!!"

"How's Severus?!" were the first words out of Anamaria's mouth once she had calmed down somewhat. "How's the quest going? Have we managed to get a hold of any of the medallions yet? And if so, then how many? How are everyone? How's Jack? Actually, ignore those questions, and just tell me of any news from Severus!"

Harry laughed. "Easy there luv, one question at the time. I'll answer all of 'em later on, I promise that on pain of death, but let me catch me breath after that attack of yours." He said as he got to his feet again.

Jacqueline narrowed her eyes. "Hey! That's called a hug. H-U-G, get it?" then she turned to Cecil Darling. "Hello, Darling-" she stopped once she finally spotted Haldir who was standing there with a scowl on his face, and her eyes narrowed even more. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I happen to be the Marchwarden of this realm," Haldir replied in a clearly restrained tone. "And I was showing the captain to your camp."

"Well, now that I am here I'll take over, so go on and skip off on your merry way!"

Haldir's expression darkened. "Skip off on my merry way? Do you think being a Marchwarden is easy, you acrimonious woman?"

"Yes, I do. But if it's too difficult for a 2000-year-old guy like you, then who's the abstruse idiot?" as a reply to this the Lothlórien Marchwarden muttered something in elvish, and Jacqueline promptly tried to whack him at the back of the head, but Haldir jumped out of her reach. "I don't know what it was you said, you pointy-eared moron, but I don't like it!" she growled as she continued trying to hit him and he continued jumping out of the way. "Will you stand still?!"

"And let an orc-spawned woman like you near me?!"

"Who are you calling orc-spawn, clodhopper?!"

"How long has this been going on?" Harry asked Ana as he watched Jacqueline chase the Marchwarden between the trees with her sword unsheathed.

"Since the first time we entered the borders of Lothlórien," the woman replied. "Five minutes in each other's company and they were at each other's throats."

"Stop chasing me, you nitwit!"

"Get your mind out of the gutter you bloody perverted ponce! And start defending yourself!"

"I refuse to hurt a woman – even though the term is used in it's widest possible meaning in this case!"

"Evil bastard! Get back here and meet your doom!" this was followed by the sound of something embedding itself in wood and a yelp.

Cecil Darling blinked. "Should we break them up, captain?"

Harry looked thoughtful for a second. "Nah," he replied. "Those two can take care of themselves. In fact, I'll bet that they will end up together before this adventure is over."

Anamaria grinned. "I'll take that wager! Say, 50 galleons?"

"Done!" the green-eyed man grinned.

----------------....----------------

Jacqueline returned to the camp later that night looking like she had just run a marathon.

"Hey, Harry." She panted as she dropped to the ground next to him.

Harry smiled and raised an eyebrow at her. "Welcome back, Jack. Had a nice time chasing our resident Marchwarden?"

She grumbled. "Resident no loner. Lady Galadriel caught us and sent that male abomination out on yet another month-long patrol. She has been doing that a lot since we pirates arrived here. Wonder why."

"Perhaps to get some peace and quiet around here?" the pirate-captain suggested. "And I don't blame her. The way the two of you were shouting, you'd think it was the end of the world and not two people acting like children."

"I do _not_ act like a child!" Jacqueline protested her temper rising again.

"I'll believe that when I see it," Harry replied calmly. "Why are you two fighting like cat and dog anyway?"

Jacqueline opened her mouth to answer, then stopped and blinked. "I- I can't remember..." she muttered quietly.

"If you can't remember it then it wasn't worth fighting over at all." Harry leaned back against the tree, put his hands behind his head and stretched out his legs. "The question now is: why do you continue fighting with him if you cannot remember why you were fighting in the first place?" the young woman mumbled something completely impossible to catch. "Didn't catch that."

"He generally calls my a feminine-deprived aberration of a woman. Not perhaps in those words, but that's what he means."

Harry sat up again and looked at his goddaughter. "Well then, you'll just have to prove him wrong, now don't you?"

"Huh?"

"Listen Jacqueline, you are a tomboy and we all know it and accept it. It's normal for us. However, these people have other beliefs and thoughts on how the different sexes should act, and you are breaking those unwritten rules. Even Anamaria acts more womanly that you do, and she'd be the first one to hit someone up the head if they tried to treat her like a, well, _woman_-woman of you get my meaning."

"But she has Severus and doesn't need to bother anymore thinking about if she is woman-y enough for a male to take interest in her."

"Then we'll just have to get you a man as well!" Harry declared. "At present time men see you as a 'man' – even if they subconsciously know you're a woman. So, all you have to do is act more womanly; you know, fix your hair, wear accessories, one of those elven dresses too perhaps. You'd look splendid in one of those."

Jacqueline was suddenly very shy. "Do- do you really think so?"

"Luv, ye'd be like a candle in the dark in one o' those dresses!" Harry drew her into a one-armed hug.

"But I don't know how to act all woman-y, and I have completely forgotten how to act in a dress! I haven't worn a dress since I was six!"

The green-eyed man grinned. "Then we'll just have te teach ye!"

----------------....----------------

A week later Harry finally received replies from Ron and Severus. Apparently everything was fine in Gondor, and the letter was lengthy and detailed, explaining everything which was going on. Severus' letter on the other hand, was very short, which sent warning-bells off in Harry's head when he saw it, and by the time he had read the bells had turned into an air-raid siren.

'_Potter,_

_Grima Wormtongue returned from a trip to Isengard a few days ago, and since then suspicious orders have been issued and King Theoden's health is failing. _

_The orders in question all, in one of way or another, work in the Dark Lord's favour, and towards the ruin of the Kingdom of Rohan. I also think that Wormtongue is getting suspicious of me, Pomfrey and Finnigan._

_S. Snape'_

Harry shook his head as he watched the letter burn. The net was starting to tighten. It wasn't desperately tight yet, but it was getting more and more worrisome. Gandalf had said that Saruman was one of Sauron's servants, and if this Wormtongue had visited Orthanc...

'_If the next letter from Severus is as worrisome as this one, then I'm paying Rohan a visit.'_ The pirate decided. He upturned the bag which had accompanied the letter, and out fell another five medallions. _'Great job Severus.'_ He put the medallions away and settled down to read one of the books that he had found in the Lothlórien library. It was written in common and was an explanation of the different cultures of Middle-Earth, and Harry knew he was going to need as much knowledge as possible if he was going to survive in Rohan, and not stick out like a sore thumb. Besides, it was an interesting read.

A moment later, an elf-maiden appeared and curtseyed. "Lady Galadriel want to talk with you, please." She said in bad Common, but at least she got her message through.

"Lead the way, luv." He replied and put the book down.

Lady Galadriel waited for them in a small grove. Steps led down to it and in the middle stood a pedestal with a silver basin. A small, but natural waterfall fell as well, and an elegant silver ewer was placed on a flat stone just beside it. The entire place was silent and seemed like the epitome of privacy.

"Thank you for being so prompt, captain," the Lady said with a small smile as Harry descended down the steps.

"Only a fool would think to let the Lady of Lórien wait," Harry said as he stepped up to her.

Galadriel laughed slightly. "I thank you for your compliment, captain."

"My pleasure, My Lady," the green-eyed man grinned. "If I might be so bold, and ask why you called for me?"

"Hmm, yes," the Lady's eyes twinkled. "I have no doubt that by now you know of the rivalry between your goddaughter and my Marchwarden."

Harry nodded still grinning. "Aye, I do."

"Well, I must confide that I have gotten several complaints about their shouting, and I have in mind to try and stop them."

"Go on."

"And I just thought that what if, along the way, those two somehow ended up... _interested_ in each other?" Galadriel looked like the epitome of innocence.

With his grin turning positively evil, Harry rubbed his hands not unlike like those mad scientists from muggle movies. "I am with you all the way, My Lady. In fact, I have a bet going on with Anamaria that Jacqueline and Haldir end up married before all this is over."

"Good to know that I have an accomplice."

"And an accomplice with a plan," Harry's eyes twinkled just as much as the Lady's. "Jacqueline told me not too long ago that she wants to learn how to act more woman-y – wear dresses and accessories and all that – just to prove to Haldir that she is a woman." He raised an eyebrow.

"Excellent! If you could just send her to me sometimes before midday tomorrow, we can get the plan underway." Galadriel managed to turn serious a few minutes of discussion later, and led Harry to the stone pedestal with the silver basin. "Will you look into my Mirror?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Harry asked confused.

"The Mirror shows things that are, things that were, and things that may yet come to pass." The Lady explained.

Harry nodded in understanding. "A dangerous tool in the wrong hands, and just as dangerous in the right ones as well." He muttered and stared thoughtfully at the currently-empty basin. It was a difficult choice. To look and know the future and try to prevent it, or to see something that couldn't be prevented and end up with a gnawing consciousness. While Harry was thinking Galadriel had filled the silver ewer with water and had stepped up to the basin again. She held the ewer over the basin and looked at the pirate-captain. Harry took a deep breath and nodded, and the Lady allowed the water to fall into the basin. She retreated and Harry stepped up and leaned over the water.

At first he only saw some scenes from his past, and nothing important. Then he saw himself and many other men fighting in the dark against black creatures that seemed like humans with some animalistic features. He saw a foreboding path nestled between two steep cliffs, a dead white tree in the middle of a stone courtyard, and he saw the five ships that had brought the pirates to Middle-Earth. In the end he saw himself with his hands bound on his back. He saw standing on a plank and the ship was high into the air. The Harry in the Mirror glared at someone who stood on the deck of the ship, and then the green beam of the Avada Kedavra towards him. Harry watched as his look-alike in the Mirror twisted like a snake to avoid the deadly beam, but it caught his led and he fell down towards his doom.

Gasping, Harry retreated form the Mirror. "Jumping Jellyfish!" he wheezed.

"Remember, captain, some of the things seen are things which only _might_ happen." Galadriel reminded.

Harry nodded, but still a shiver ran down his spine.

The Lady of the Golden Wood didn't speak anymore and together they left the Glade of the Mirror and silently they parted ways once they had climbed the steps.

And all Harry could think of was: had he seen his own death?

----------------....----------------

The following day Jacqueline was indeed sent off to Galadriel, and once she returned late that night she just glared murderously at Harry and just fell on her bed and was out like a light. And it went on like that for the following month.

The rest of the time onwards was spent with the pirates training with the elves, and Harry teaching Cecil Darling how to duel like a pirate. Along with that, Harry spent some of his time avoiding Fudge and Callahan who had arrived in Lothlórien with Jacqueline's group. Harry also had several talks with both Galadriel and Celeborn, feeding off their knowledge like a leech.

Nothing really happened until a little more than a month later, when Orophin suddenly came running into Caras Galadhon early one morning.

"What's going on?" Harry asked as the elf stopped in front of him.

"The Fellowship has arrived!" Orophin replied.

----------------....----------------

Oi, long chapter mates. Please tell me what you think!

Thanks to:

Orlina, SSSRoaB, ArcherofDarkness, Lady Malfoy I, Jaaera, Digi Bonds, Lunawolf, chaser1, Heart and Mind, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Dragon Rider22, Shaddow, Musicstarlover, candidus-lupus-full Moon, crazley, Shitza, Tanya the Insane & Aristarchus the Muse, Golden-Gal and Nomhotar.


	11. Chapter 11

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** Enjoy the following insanity. I'm trying to mix the movie and the book. I think that at places that the book used a bit too much time in certain situations, and the movie didn't use enough time in others, so I'm trying to remedy that in one way or another.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Eleven**

Harry didn't greet the Fellowship at once. Not only because Galadriel wanted to talk to the group, but because Orophin had told him that Gandalf had been lost in Moria – a large network of abandoned dwarven mines in the Misty Mountains, if Harry remembered correctly. He hadn't been completely inactive whilst in Rivendell, and although he was insane he wasn't stupid enough to jump into a new world without knowing some of it's history or geography. Instead the green-eyed man watched as Haldir arrived with the weary and sad group and led them up the staircase to the Lady's talan.

Anamaria stepped up beside him and sighed sadly as she watched the hobbits climb upwards. "Poor chaps," the black woman muttered. "Look at them, they're already beaten."

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Harry replied thoughtfully.

"About what? That they're already broken and ready to give up, or that this Gandalf-fellow died in those mines?" she asked.

"Both actually," the pirate-captain said, then turned to her. "Either way, lets give them some good pirate-memories whilst they're here, ey?" his eyes twinkled.

Anamaria grinned. "Just try not to get them drunk, Harry. We all know you cheat magically at all drinking games."

"Ana!" Harry exclaimed mock-hurt. "You wound me!"

The woman snorted but her smile didn't disappear. Instead she craned her neck to watch the Fellowship climb even further. "Is Jacqueline up there with the Lady?"

"No, she's at the camp." The man said as they turned and started walking back to the camp themselves. "Why do ye ask?"

"The Fellowship is scared and nervous enough as it is, no need to make it worse with _their_ incessant arguing."

"I think that's what Lady Galadriel thought as well when she cancelled today's meeting." Harry grinned. "But she's not off the hook, ye know. Instead, Jack has te wear a dress and try te act womanly without Galadriel there to supervise."

Anamaria blinked and stopped abruptly at those words, then hurried to catch up with her captain and friend. "Are you sure the camp will still be standing?"

----------------....----------------

It was later that night, after the Fellowship had comfortably settled in the camp the elves had provided for them, that Harry finally decided to visit them and Jacqueline decided to join him as she needed practice to walk around in a dress on uneven ground – according to Lady Galadriel at least.

The elves had started to sing a hauntingly beautiful and sad song in memory of Gandalf, and it was even better than some of the Gregorian chants and some Celtic and Wizarding music that Harry had heard in his life. It really was special.

After rounding a couple of trees and pushing away a low-hanging branch, Harry finally spotted the Fellowship. The four hobbits were there and were surprisingly silent, Merry and Pippin patting at their pipes and Frodo sitting in silent contemplation while Sam arranged their bedrolls. Gimli was just putting away his axe after having sharpened it, and Aragorn was staring at nothing. Boromir was there as well, sitting a bit further from the rest of the group. He was staring at the ground, his whole posture screaming: I am at my wits' end!

Legolas joined the sombre group. The elf was dressed in a fine silver tunic and was holding a silver pitcher which he had obviously been given by the elves of Lothlórien. "It's a lament for Gandalf," the Mirkwood elf said quietly as he listened to the sad music.

"What do they say about him?" Merry asked.

"I do not have the heart to tell you," the elf replied. "For me the grief is still too near."

Sam finished with the last bedroll and straightened. "I bet they don't say anything about his fireworks. There should be a verse about them." He said.

"_The finest rockets ever seen  
They burst in stars of blue and green  
Or after thunder, silver showers... _

_Came falling like a rain of flowers_." Sam shook his head and sat down. "That doesn't do them any justice at all."

Harry decided that this was the perfect moment to make his entrance and he stepped forwards. "Oh, I don't know, Sammy-Boy, I think Gandalf would've been proud o' that one." The Fellowship swirled around, the expressions on their faces causing Harry to grin. "If ye tell me ye were expecting Mother Theresa, I'll be very hurt." He remarked as he stepped further into their camp.

Merry, Pippin and Sam all jumped up and hurried to him with happy exclamations of: "Calenglîn!" Frodo actually smiled, even if the smile wasn't as bright as it had used to be.

Gimli scrambled from his bedroll as well and – after carefully putting down his beloved axe – went over to the hobbits and the pirate, taking Harry's hand in a firm grip. "Praise the gods for this joyous reunion! I have never seen a more welcome sight!"

"This is indeed an unexpected but most welcome meeting," Legolas managed a small smile and nodded to the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Captain," Boromir said in a voice devoid of emotion.

"Bob," came the reply, though it was delivered with a mischievous twinkle, and the Gondorian man twitched.

"Harry!" Aragorn was there as well, smiling and shaking the pirate's hand. "Elbereth, it's good to see you, and in Lothlórien of all places!"

The green-eyed man grinned at the Ranger. "Ye seem te forget mate, that I 'ave people stationed here in the Golden Wood. Need to check up on 'em now and then. And keep Jacqueline and Haldir from killin' each other, but that's another case."

Everyone blinked.

"Excuse me," Gimli started, "but I thought you just said that Marchwarden Haldir and some lady named Jacqueline are trying to kill each other? Surely I must've heard wrong – not that I can blame her..." he added quietly.

Harry chuckled. "I'm tellin' ye mates, ye don't want te be there when those two meet."

Jacqueline chose that moment to enter the scene. "I heard that, you bloody good-for-nothing scallywag!"

"Mates, let me introduce you to my goddaughter, Jacqueline Henrietta Turner. Jacqueline, this is the Fellowship." From there he introduced them one by one to the fiery woman, and once done turned to her himself. "What took you so long?"

"Bloody dress got stuck," came the answer. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this, Harry."

He shrugged, but the grin was still in place. "You were the one who wanted to prove to Haldir that you were indeed a true woman."

The Fellowship followed this debate with curious and even slightly freaked-out expressions on their faces. That is, all except Gimli who leaped at this chance of having someone else dislike the Marchwarden who had ridiculed him upon their entrance in Lothlórien.

The dwarf stepped forwards and bowed. "Lady Jacqueline, how any man – be he elf, human or dwarf – can see you as anything but a lady, I do not understand."

She snorted. "Well, that damned lump o' lard seems to think otherwise."

"Share with me your sorrow, Lady, and I shall share mine." Gimli continued and held out his arm for her to take. "We have both been ridiculed and wronged by that infernal elf."

Jacqueline blinked in surprise, hesitantly took the dwarf's arm, lifted up her dress slightly and the two of them quickly left the camp complaining to each other about the horror known as Haldir of Lorien. The Fellowship and Harry were left staring after them until they disappeared between the trees.

"What actually happens when your goddaughter and Master Haldir are in the same vicinity?" Frodo ventured to break the silence.

Harry turned towards him and sighed. "They fight worse than cat and dog, insults hailing to and fro, fire fought with fire. We usually manage to stop them before they draw weapons."

Frodo blinked. "Draw weapons?"

"The Marchwarden has never given the impression of being a man quick to anger," Legolas remarked.

"And to draw a weapon against a woman?" Boromir spoke up form his place.

"Don't underestimate Jacqueline, mates," Harry said as he sat down on a rock. "I trained her in the art o' swordfight meself – and Jack chipped in now and then as well. So she's fully capable of defending herself, and Haldir knows this. And although they draw weapons, our dear Marchwarden spends more time defending himself than actually attacking. I suppose he still isn't willing to attack a woman, no matter if he calls her orc-spawn or not."

Aragorn shook his head and sat down as well. "Harry, the more I find out about you and your crew, the more I am led to believe that all of you are completely insane."

"It took you this long to figure it out?!" Harry exclaimed, mock-shocked. "Seriously mate, there are pretty few o' us who _aren't_ insane one way or another. Now, lets ignore all these insanities for a while and lets just sit and stare at nothing. Or talk. Either way it suits me."

The Fellowship shook their heads fondly, most of them had missed Harry's easygoing nature and total insanity in the weeks of travel, and it was a welcome break from the depressing thoughts of Gandalf that lurked in everyone's minds, so all of them threw themselves into the conversation with great aplomb, and it ranged from mundane things like gardening, to deep philosophical wonderings about whether the hobbits' favourite inn, The Green Dragon, was better than the pirate's The Faithful Bride, or Boromir's The King and the Stewart. Aragorn even threw The Prancing Pony into the mix, causing Legolas to mention an elvish inn from his own homeland, and the debate went far into the night.

----------------....----------------

The next afternoon found Harry lazing under a tree with Frodo and Sam. Merry and Pippin were just a few feet away and were throwing stones in the small brook, trying to make them jump as many times as possible along the surface.

Harry sat leaned up against the tree, his tri-corner hat pulled down over his eyes, one arm behind his head and the other resting on his stomach. Everything about him indicated that he was asleep – or almost asleep – but the hobbits knew that at the slightest sign of danger that he would jump and draw that weird weapon he had called a pistol. Harry had tried to explain how it worked to the hobbits, but had given up on the finer details.

Frodo sat right beside him, looking peaceful for once as he stared at Merry and Pippin joking around with a small relaxed smile. Sam was picking and examining flowers with great interest, then making a wreath out of them, and in the end stuck the wreath on his own head before laying back and falling asleep.

"Harry?" Frodo began quietly.

"Hmm?" the pirate replied from under his hat.

"I know that you are a pirate and that you have people stationed at least in Rivendell and here in Lothlórien." The hobbit continued.

"Aye, that's right." Harry's voice gave nothing away.

"Well, I have been meaning to ask you some questions for some time..."

Upon hearing the hesitance in the hobbit's voice, Harry lifted his hat a bit and fixed green eyes on Frodo. "Go on and ask mate, and I'll answer as good as I can."

Frodo hesitated for another moment, before taking a deep breath and plunging into it. "I was wondering where you all came from. You couldn't have just popped out of the ground – or, better said, the sea. Why are you here in Middle-Earth if not to help us defeat the Dark Lord? And, not that I have anything against it, but why do all of the women of your crew act more or less like Lady Jacqueline?"

Harry chuckled. "Calm down mate, and let me answer one question at the time. Now, as to where we came from. We came from the second star to the right and straight on 'til morning." Which necessarily didn't mean that it wasn't true, Harry thought to himself with a grin.

The hobbit blinked in surprise, but let it lie after sending the pirate-captain a suspicious look. "And the second question?"

"Well, that one all depends on how you look at it. The Dark Lord stole something from us, and now we're retrieving it. Indirectly we are helping with brining the Annoying Idiot down, but so far we haven't proclaimed our allegiance to anyone and gone directly against him, savvy? And any woman from our crew – our world – can act and do whatever she wants. It's just the way it is, so you better accept it."

"Oh." And that was the end of that conversation as Merry and Pippin returned to the group.

Not long after that they started on the trek back to the Fellowship's camp. On the way they were joined by Aragorn and Legolas, and they found Gimli already there once they actually arrived at the camp.

"What insanities have you been filling their heads with this time, Master Harry?" Gimli asked with a grin as he nodded towards the hobbits.

Harry just grinned. "Disappointingly enough, this has been a rather insane-free afternoon." He replied.

"And thank the Valar for that!" Aragorn added with a smirk causing the hobbits to laugh and Legolas to grin.

Harry just bowed theatrically, pulling off his hat with a flourish worthy of the rich people from his pirating days, and then placing it back on with a flourish just as grand. "I accept all due praise, mates."

The relaxed and happy atmosphere was broken when an almost panicked and out-of-breath Anamaria ran into the camp and started pulling at Harry's sleeve without wheezing out anything past 'trouble' and 'quickly'.

The Fellowship had blinked in surprise upon seeing the black woman, and had to remind themselves that she was a part of Harry's crew and not a spy from Harad. Harry on the other hand, got tired of having his arm pulled out of its socket, and had managed to force the woman to sit down and take a few deep breaths.

"Now luv, what's goin' on?" the green-eyed man asked once he was sure that he would understand the answer he was given.

Anamaria gratefully gulped down the water Legolas handed her, sent a quick look of thanks to the elf, then rounded on Harry again. "What're ye standin' here fer?! Go an' do summat 'bout it!" she howled.

"First I'd like te know what the hell yer talkin' 'bout!" Harry replied. "Didn't understand a word of what ye were sayin' that first time!"

"It's Remus, ye bloody scallywag!" the woman shrieked. "Ye know we've run out o' Wolfsbane as Severus didn't send any this time, and used the Draught o' the Livin' Death te calm 'im down on the full moon. He transformed last night and won't transform back te human 'til temorro'!"

"I'm with ye so far. So what's the problem?"

Anamaria jumped up and yelled straight into her captain's face. "That Cecil Dalrin' o' yers was stupid enough to open the door te the cage te put in some food, and he some'ow managed te wake Moony up, that's the problem!"

Harry paled like a ghost. "Great gods!" he exclaimed before he started running with Anamaria at his side and the Fellowship following close behind.

A minute later Harry could clearly hear Moony's snarling and the yells of the elves and pirates. He put on an extra bout of speed and pulled ahead of the rest of the group with Legolas and Aragorn who had caught up with him. The trio stopped dead in their tracks upon seeing the scene in front of them. The elves had been briefed on the werewolf-situation and had quickly climbed into the trees. Now they were busy trying to keep Moony from climbing up the staircases, and all this without actually hurting the werewolf seriously or pissing the creature off any more than it already was.

The pirates had quickly pulled out their brooms and were circling the great beast keeping him occupied to the best of their abilities while others of the crew shot Stunners and Body-Bind curses at the werewolf. Off to one side stood Boromir with his sword ready for use, giving Jacqueline time to get up the stairs where she was pulled behind the wall of elves by Haldir, and what struck Harry was that she didn't protest at all at this treatment.

Anamaria quickly herded the hobbits and Gimli towards the closest staircase, then returned to the male trio.

Harry rounded on her. "Where's James?!" he hissed trying not to attract the attention of the werewolf. The woman paled like a ghost and nearly sank to the ground. Her eyes were wide and staring at something at the other side of the pirate camp. Harry followed her look and his eyes widened in horror as he watched James trying to sneak from one tree to the other to get in safety behind a group of elves who were gesturing to him to hurry up.

"Where's the potion?!" he yelled.

Jacqueline looked up from where she was worriedly watching James. "I have it!" she replied and held up a small bottle of a silver-greyish substance. Harry held out his hand towards her, palm up and fingers out. Then he made a fist and jerked his hand back, and the small bottle went flying out of Jacqueline's grip and towards him. He caught it easily and picked up a branch and transfigured it into a large syringe. Then he started pouring the potion into the medical instrument.

"Hurry up, Harry!" Kingsley Shacklebolt yelled as he avoided being shredded to ribbons. "We can't keep him occupied like this much longer!"

Aragorn and Legolas watched with worry as James slowly made his way towards safety by hiding behind the tree-trunks. Soon, however, he would reach a passage where there were no trees close by and he would have to sprint across the last bit.

"The lad is not going to make it!" Gimli exclaimed from where his head stuck out over the railing on the staircase. He and the hobbits watched as the ten-year-old arrived to the last tree before the sprint and stopped for a minute to gather his courage and strength.

"RUN!!!!" the four hobbits started yelling, hopping up and down and waving their arms.

"_Noro_, run!!!!" the elves gestured to James who looked like death warmed over.

"James come on!!!!" Jacqueline looked to be on the verge of both a nervous breakdown and serious panic. She was clutching Haldir's arm in a death grip, though Haldir didn't seem to mind.

Harry looked up from his work, the syringe was almost filled anyway, and watched as James swallowed, took one last breath, and sprinted.

He was perhaps halfway between his hiding place and the staircase when the worst thing ever happened. Moony knocked Shacklebolt and Michael Corner from the air, and spotted the boy. James stopped dead in his tracks as the yellow eyes focused on him and a ferocious growl echoed through the terrified clearing.

Harry acted without thinking. He clutched the syringe and started running as fast as he could towards the werewolf who was slowly moving towards the frozen boy.

"HARRY!!!!" Anamaria yelled in terror.

"CALENGLÎN!!!!" Frodo exclaimed.

But Harry paid them no mind, all his attention was focused on the large back of the werewolf. The beast tightened its muscles, ready to jump and attack, but Harry was a second faster and jumped as high as he could. He landed on the werewolf's back, the syringe held between his teeth and his hands clutching Moony's fur trying to hang on.

"RUN JAMES!!!!" he yelled as he grabbed the syringe and tried to stick it into the scruff and inject the Sleeping-potion. But Moony had no intention to be taken down that easily and thrashed and turned. The beast threw itself on the ground and rolled around almost squishing Harry, but the pirate hung on knowing that if he let go now the best thing he could expect was to turn into a werewolf himself, and the worst that could happen was that he ended up dead. Neither of those options he liked, so he hung on with all his might.

"He's going to get himself killed!" Aragorn exclaimed as he watched Harry appear as Moony got on all four again. He would have run to help, but was stopped by a shaking Anamaria.

"Don't!" the black woman said, her eyes focused on the battle. "If you are bitten you will turn into a werewolf yourself! Try to distract the wolf from afar!" at that she got out her pistol, aimed it at the ground by the werewolf's feet, and fired. Moony jumped and turned towards the trio howling with rage. But this had given Harry – who had almost fallen off – time to get a better grip and a better position on the beast's back. Aragorn and Legolas didn't waste time wondering about her strange weapon, but picked up small stones and started throwing them. The hobbits and Gimli grabbed acorns and were throwing as well. This distraction gave the flying pirates time to take a much-needed breather.

Harry hung on as Moony buckled again and hissed as the werewolf threw himself on the ground again. As he was lying under the great beast, Harry finally managed to stick the syringe into the scruff and inject the potion. Moony howled and got to his feet again, ready to attack the closest living being he saw. Just as the wolf started towards Anamaria, Aragorn and Legolas, it shuddered and shook its head. Moony took another step, jaws opening in a feral grin, but shook again and stumbled. Then he just collapsed on the ground already in a deep sleep, and people started relaxing.

Slowly making his hands let go of the death grip they had on the fur, a shaking Harry got off the werewolf and stumbled a bit before he just sat down on the ground and rubbed his face.

"Uncle Harry!" James exclaimed and ran over, bowling the green-eyed man over in a bear hug.

This seemed to break the ice, and the pirates, the Fellowship and the elves hurried over as well, all of them giving the sleeping werewolf a wide berth.

"ARE YOU CRAZY, YOU STUPID SUICIDAL....?!" Anamaria trailed off as she hugged the pirate-captain.

"DON'T EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN!!!!" Jacqueline threatened with tears in her eyes and helped Harry get to his feet again.

"Calenglîn, you are the most insane person-" Frodo said.

"You could have been killed, Master Harry!" Sam reprimanded.

"You're alive! You're alive!" Merry and Pippin sang.

"Bless your luck, laddie!" Gimli hugged Harry's torso.

"Don't scare us like that!" Aragorn tried to look angry, but the relief that everything had ended well shone through.

Harry didn't try joking this away. Instead he hugged James and Jacqueline tightly and gathered his thoughts for a second, then he looked up. "Where is Cecil Darling?" his voice was quiet, but it was the kind of dangerous quiet with a sharp steel edge, and most blinked in surprise upon hearing such a voice coming from the usually so jovial and easygoing pirate. That voice promised death and worse.

Haldir quickly organised several search parties. And everyone, from pirate to hobbit to elf, spread out in search of Cecil Darling.

"Are you alright, Captain Sparrow?" Legolas asked.

"I am fine," Harry replied, his voice sounding more like it usually did as it had lost most of the coldness. "Slightly shaken up, but it's nothing. At least nothing compared to what Cecil Darling is going to be like once I'm done with him."

Ten minutes later a group of elves – led by Sam, Merry and Pippin – entered the clearing again with a shaking Cecil Darling in the middle. As soon as they had delivered the young man to Harry, everyone retreated quickly leaving the captain to administer the punishment in peace.

----------------....----------------

No one really knew what had happened between Harry and Cecil Darling, all that was known was that Cecil Darling had disappeared and was gone for the following two weeks. Harry went back to being his normal self, and – once he turned back into himself again – Remus apologised over and over again to everyone for what had happened until they finally managed to beat it into his skull that it wasn't his fault. Lady Galadriel helped a lot with that.

On the other hand, Jacqueline and Haldir didn't seem to argue as much as they had used to, and could actually hold a somewhat civil conversation for five minutes before it turned into disaster. James still had nightmares, but they disappeared soon enough. The Fellowship had been slightly surprised upon discovering that Remus was the kindest and gentlest of men whilst he was human. They could hardly believe that the growling monster was the soft-spoken gentleman who apologised profoundly to them all.

All in all, most things went back to the usual after the incident, and most didn't mention it any more.

About a week after the incident that Harry finally received a letter from Severus again. This letter was even more worrisome. Apparently Grima Wormtongue had almost managed to take over Rohan. Severus and several other men who were loyal to King Theoden had been banished – but had gotten secret orders from Éomer to kill any orcs or wild men they saw, and to protect Rohan that way. This also explained why the Potion Master hadn't sent the Wolfsbane, and the man excused himself in the letter.

'_There's no question about it anymore,'_ Harry thought to himself once he finished reading the letter. _'Next stop: Rohan. But there is one last thing to do before leaving...'_

Harry quickly went out and searched for Sam. He found the hobbit alone at the camp munching on a mushroom left over from elevenses. "Hello Sammy-Boy, mind if I join you?"

Sam gestured to a seat as his mouth was full of delicious mushroom. "What brings you here, Calenglîn?" he asked once he had swallowed.

"This." Harry replied and pulled out one of the Aztec medallions. The hobbit stared at it with curious eyes. "This is the reason that we are here in Middle-Earth. Sauron has stolen the medallions and handed them out to his orcs, and now we're gathering them again." Then he went on to explain the way the medallions functioned. At the end he gave the medallion to Sam. "Keep it secret, even from Frodo. You will not turn into a skeleton in the moonlight, a simple charm sees to that, but it will help you through your upcoming troubles."

Sam looked with wide-eyed from the pirate to the medallion. "I... I..."

Harry just smiled. "Put it on, Sam. It will help you to keep Mister Frodo safe."

The hobbit sighed, then put the medallion on and hid it under his shirt. "Thank you, Calenglîn."

"Any time, mate." After another couple of minutes with small talk, Harry excused himself and walked away from Caras Galadhon. When he deemed that he was far enough away, he transfigured a twig into a portkey and picked it up. He disappeared with a pop, and appeared again in Rohan. _'Well, here we go.'_ He thought as he transformed into his animagi shape and took to the sky. _'Just hope I'm not too late.'_

----------------....----------------

Long chapter again! Gods above, I'm going on a writing-frenzy!!!! Scary, that is. Anyways, please tell me what you think.

Sorry this is so late. My beta finished with this ages ago, but my internett-connection went all crazy.

Thanks to:

Musicstarlover, Shitza, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Archer of Darkness, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Prussiluskan, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Lunawolf, Lady Nicole Potter, Destiny's Dragon, Orlina, Andine, Heart and Mind, Wynjara and LilNagy05.


	12. Chapter 12

**Rings and Medallions **

**Disclaimer**: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note**: Sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but until we can fix the internet-connection problems the updates will be slow and far between I'm afraid. I'm working as fast as I can to fix it, whatever it is that has gone wrong, and hopefully it will be over and done with within this month. Please bear with me and enjoy the insanity.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Twelve **

'_Rohan truly is a beautiful country,'_ Harry thought to himself as he flew across the seemingly endless plains. _'Actually I doubt that anything here is anything but beautiful – except perhaps Mordor.'_

Occasionally he would fly over or spot a village in the distance, or perhaps even a group of riders with their spears and shields glittering in the autumn sun. But despite the lone beauty of the plains, a heavy sadness and oppression laid over the land. People hardly said anything in the villages he passed, the riders and their horses were silent as the grave as well. Harry just shook his head and continued flying. He had to reach Edoras before nightfall. That way he would have the entire night to get acquainted with the situation, and also inquire what was being done about Grima Wormtongue.

Finally he could see the hill upon which Edoras and Meduseld was build, and he made himself invisible. It would be pretty suspicious if a golden eagle suddenly just dropped from the sky into the middle of the town. That'd be like continuing to piss off Norrington, whilst looking down the barrel of the man's pistol. Certain death, that's what. And even Harry wasn't about to try something like that, no matter how much he despised redcoats – or, in this case, traitors and evil dark lords.

Landing in the shadows of one of the low houses, Harry (still invisible) changed back into human-form, and then used his metamorphmagi abilities and changed his own looks. A minute later an old, bent, nearly blind man with tattered clothes stepped out from behind the house and onto the main road which went from the gates and straight up to the steps of Meduseld.

'_Right, where the devil is their hideout?'_ the transformed pirate-captain thought to himself as he started trailing street after street. _'I know that Tonks, Pomfrey and the twins are still here, but where?'_

Although appearing nearly blind, Harry was as far from it as joining the Dark Side. There was a good reason why he was widely reputed to have the best eyes in the Caribbean, and his currently-greyish-blue eyes hardly missed a thing. He saw the seemingly broken Rohirric people walking about, but he also saw the hidden fire that burned in their eyes and the hate against all the new laws that had been passed. However, what worried him was the fact that the fire in their eyes was small and almost extinct. He also spotted men who walked around with straight, proud backs and with swords and daggers at their waists. They weren't dressed in the same garb as the guards that patrolled the walls surrounding the city, and all of these armed men had the look of highwaymen.

After walking about in Edoras for hours, Harry just sat down on a rock and watched a group of horses in a large paddock. The paddock went from the stables up by Meduseld and down to the wooden fence.

'_Didn't Fred and George work in the royal stables?'_ he wondered as he sat there and let his thoughts fly to and fro. About an hour later he spotted two dots of familiar red moving down from the stables and towards the horses. "About damn time!" Harry mumbled to himself, stood up and hobbled over to the fence.

By now Fred and George had gotten down the steep hillside and they had noticed the old man standing by the fence. George started walking towards the horses to round them up, whilst Fred went to the old man.

"Anything I can help you with?" the red-haired man asked kindly.

"Yes, you can show me where the bloody house is!"

Fred blinked. "Excuse me?! Sir, I do believe you've gotten the wrong man here. Is there any family I can take to?"

Harry growled. He was cold, he was annoyed and he was hungry. He was definitely not in the mood to discreetly try to convince Fred who he was. "_Gred_, if ye don' show me where yer safe-house is in this damn town, I'll personally see te it that both ye an' yer brother are keelhauled an' then brought in front o' yer mother fer a lecture that'll surpass all others!"

The other man jumped. "_Harry_?!" he stared at the old man.

"No, it's Barbossa come back from the dead!" Harry snarled right back. "Who the bloody 'ell should it be but me?"

"Don't know, I'm not a prophet," Fred deadpanned with a grin that lit up his face. "Boy am I glad to see you, Harry! Things have gone from bad to worse, and-"

Harry held up a hand and stopped the man from talking further. "Do you even know the meaning of the word 'privacy', Fred?"

"Oh, right! Ey, George!" Fred yelled to his twin who was half-way up the hill with the horses.

"What?!" came the reply.

"I'll be taking this old seadog back to his home!"

Even from where they were standing, Harry could see George's eyes widening and then the grin lighting up his face. The pirate-captain mock saluted, and the salute was at once copied before George went on, a new spring to his steps. Then he turned back to Fred. "Well mate, are we going or what?" Fred nodded and easily jumped over the fence and they started to make their trek towards the house where the pirates had made a small haven for themselves.

The walk took about half an hour as the house was on the other side of town. Harry allowed Fred to lead him along and the pirate-captain delighted in playing the old, slightly senile fool much to Fred's chagrin. When they finally reached the house, there was nothing outwardly that pointed this out as the pirate safe-haven. Fred knocked on the door and stepped back as he waited.

The door was opened and Poppy Pomfrey stuck her head out. "Yes? Anything I can help you with, my boy?" she asked as if she didn't know the red-head.

Fred played his role perfectly. "Mrs Poppy, I found your old father down by the horse-fence."

Upon hearing this Harry promptly and with great aplomb hit the red-haired man over the head with his walking stick. He didn't look _that_ old!

"Oh, father, where _have_ you been?!" the nurse said in an exasperated tone, although her eyes glittered with amusement. "I've been looking all over for you! Come in and have your porridge." She gently pushed a grumbling and growling Harry inside, then turned back to Fred. "Thank you, lad. If there's anything I can do to repay you someday, please don't hesitate to ask." She said. Fred performed a half-bow and then disappeared again.

Whilst this had been going on, Harry had changed back into himself and looked around the safe-house. The room he had entered was obviously what passed for a living room. A roughly hewn wooden table stood in one part of the room with long benches on the three sides that were closest to the table so that one could lean back and relax. There was a fireplace close as well, and that's where the food was cooked. Along the walls there were some chests that were filled with clothes and pirate equipment Harry supposed. At the end of the hall/living room there was a door which undoubtedly led to the bedrooms.

"Not bad," he commented and sat down on the bench closest to the fireplace.

Poppy closed the door and sent Harry a rare smile. "Welcome to Davy Jones' Locker, as the twins have named it. It is good to have you here."

Harry grinned and nodded to the nurse. "Well, whad'ya expect? I couldn't just sit about in Lothlórien after hearing that Severus was banished."

"And it is good that you have come, Mr Potter." The nurse was all business suddenly. "Everything is going downhill recently."

"Sit down and tell me about it, luv, and I'll see what I can do."

Poppy sat down at the stone-edge of the fireplace and started talking. "Wormtongue returned from one of his trips to Isengard a few weeks ago, and since then King Theoden's health has been rapidly failing. Not only that, but he seems to have grown older in appearance as well. I have been called in to treat the king, but all I know is that some serious magic is used, more powerful than I could ever deal with on my own. Perhaps you can keep the king from succumbing to this sickness, whatever it is?"

"I'll see what can be done 'bout that," Harry replied. "Now tell me more of what Wormtongue's been up to and the changes in Edoras."

"As you have seen the people around here have almost completely given up. Wormtongue has issued forth new tax laws, and has brought in men that were – it is rumoured – banished by the king years ago. Think of it as the tales of Robin Hood. Wormtongue is the evil Prince John, and the Sheriff of Nottingham and his guards are these new men."

"Well then, it is up te us te be Robin Hood an' his merry men."

The nurse cracked a smile. "The king has a son, Theodred, and Womrtongue is trying to get him out of the way. But Theodred is well protected by both his cousins Éomer and Éowyn, and three of ours: Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Sturgis Podmore."

Harry smiled. "Seamus and Dean together in everything they do as usual."

"They're like soul-brothers. Not unlike your father and Sirius Black."

"What about Tonks?"

Poppy actually giggled. "She and Lord Éomer seem to be very good friends." Was all she said and giggled again.

'_Another one lost to the charm of Middle-Earth,'_ Harry thought with a grin.

----------------....----------------

The next day Harry saw young Theodred for the first and last time. The young man couldn't be older than Jacqueline, and yet he was riding out to hunt orcs and wild-men that had entered Rohan. People waved tot hem as they rode out through the gates, but there was a sombre mood about it all.

Harry and Poppy watched the group of twenty men leave, and shook their heads. This was not going to end good.

Once back at the safe-house, they were met with Tonks, Fred and George, all three looking more worried than ever.

"Why the long faces?" Harry asked.

"Harry!" Tonks jumped up and hugged him, but her usual exuberant joy was practically lacking. "You come at the nick of time!"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I do?"

George nodded. "The king is getting worse, and Wormtongue is getting stronger."

"We've seen several medallions upon Wormtongue's person," Fred continued. "And also several places they have been worked into the wooden beams that hold Meduseld up, especially in the hall where King Theoden sits."

"Both Éomer and Éowyn are getting edgy and-"

"-we fear they might do something-"

"-hasty and end up dead or-"

"-banished like Severus." Fred finished with a sigh. "And if that happens there'll be no one to legally hinder Wormtongue getting the throne."

"That is bad, mates, but not as bad as you might think," Harry said. "One of you three get either Éomer or Éowyn – or both – here to the Locker tonight, and I'll see what can be done, savvy?"

Tonks nodded. "I'll do it. It's my night 'off duty' anyways, and it won't look suspicious if I leave Meduseld."

"Good, good. Now Morphy, what is this I hear that you've gotten close te Lord Éomer?" the green-eyed man asked with a teasing grin. And for the first time in his life Harry saw Nymphadora Tonks blush. Then she got this glassy, dreamy look in her eyes and she didn't react no matter how much they shook her. _'Damn, she's got it bad!'_ Harry thought.

----------------....----------------

Later, when night had fallen an most people were asleep, Tonks entered the safe-house with Lord Éomer following her. Poppy had been called to treat a young soldier across town, whilst Harry was just hanging over the map of Middle-Earth that he still hadn't returned to Aragorn, and was trying to locate the Fellowship based on the position of the medallion that Sam had. But when he heard the door open and close, he looked up and put the magical compass away. He folded the map and placed it in the pocket with the compass, then stood up and stepped up in front of the two newcomers.

Lord Éomer was a tall man, a year or two younger than Harry himself. He had long golden hair like most of the Rohirric people, and he was wearing simple dark brown clothes to better hide in the night. Tonks was also dressed in a dark brown, but she was wearing a simple dress with a cape over.

"Harry," Tonks began, "this is Lord Éomer, the nephew of King Theoden. Lord Éomer, this is Harry Potter-Sparrow, captain aboard the _Raven_."

Extending his hand, Harry waited for the other man to do the same. He knew that Éomer was looking him up and down, taking in his pirate-clothes, his looks, measuring him. And like everyone else before him, Éomer came to the same conclusion. The short man in front of him couldn't be anything but a powerful leader and dangerous enemy, and the blond man grabbed the extended hand in a firm grip.

"Dora said you could be persuaded to help?" Éomer opened the conversation.

Harry didn't even bat an eyelash at Tonks' nickname, but instead answered the question. "I'll be helping you either way mate, the question is if you want me to help or not."

"Indeed. She said you were captain aboard a ship named the _Raven_. Do you come from Dol Amroth, then?"

"Nope." The pirate-captain shook his head.

"The Grey Havens of the elves?!" Éomer demanded almost in awe.

"Kinda."

"Would you mind explaining that, Captain Sparrow? If you do not come from Dol Amroth nor the Grey Havens, then that only leaves Umbar with its accursed corsairs."

"I was wondering when you'd demand the explanation," Harry grinned. "I hope you have a lot of time, Lord Éomer, because this is going to take a while."

"I have enough time." Came the answer, and Harry launched into the story of the medallions. He conveniently kept the fact that he was a pirate out of the tale and only hinted that there was a Fellowship on their way southwards down the Anduin towards Gondor and let it be with that. He was, however, forced to reveal the fact that he had placed out his own men all over Rohan, and that Tonks was one of his crew along with Poppy, Fred, George and Severus. He was also forced to reveal that he himself was a wizard, but he said nothing about the others. At the end of the story, Éomer was much more friendly towards the pirate-captain.

"It calms my heart some to know that once I leave tomorrow that my sister, Meduseld and Rohan will not me completely without friends and protection, Lord Sparrow." The blond man said.

'_Lord Sparrow? Jack would never let me hear the end of that one if he knew about it!'_ Harry thought to himself in amusement. Aloud he said, "You're leaving?"

Éomer nodded. "Yes, to hunt the orcs, wild-men and uruk-hai that have entered Rohan. And to look after Theodred, I fear for his life."

Harry nodded. "Don't worry mate, we'll do what we can. And if you see Severus out there could you tell him that Anamaria sends her love?" the green-eyed man asked and followed Tonks and Éomer towards the door.

"I will. It was nice meeting you, Lord Sparrow."

"You too, Lord Éomer," Harry watched as the two left and the door closed behind them. "Marshall of the Riddermark, ey? Not bad, Tonks, not bad at all."

----------------....----------------

Harry's first meetings with Grima Wormtongue and with Lady Éowyn – both which happened a few days after Éomer left – set the tone for their further acquaintances. Harry had accompanied Fred and George up to the stables for a meeting with Tonks. The metamorphmagus had wanted to tell Lady Éowyn about Harry and their mission just to keep the White Lady of Rohan from worrying too much, and they had agreed upon a meeting in the back of the stables.

Getting into the stables had been easy enough, and there Harry had continued to act as a stable boy for a couple of hours until Éowyn finally showed up along with Tonks.

"Where are we going, Dora?"

Harry looked up at the female voice. Éowyn had long golden wavy hair, and her dress was the same as Tonks', simple and brown. However, she did have a beautiful golden necklace which clearly stated that she was royalty. Harry hadn't seen any jewellery amongst the normal people in Edoras, and he doubted that he would.

"Trust me, My Lady," Tonks' voice replied. "This man can help, and My Lord Éomer has already met with him."

The White Lady of Rohan sighed. "Alright, Dora, but not for long. I need to go back lest something happens. Where is this friend of yours?"

'_That's my cue,'_ Harry thought with a grin and dropped the fork with the hay he had been turning and airing. "Aloha Morphy!" he said as he looked upon the two women from the hay-attic. "About time ye came, I've been workin' me arse off 'ere whilst I should be at the Locker doin' somethin' completely different."

Tonks waved him down. "Come down, Green-Eyes!"

But Harry shook his head. "Better that ye two come up, luv! More privacy an' we have a good view o' who's comin' and goin'."

"Harry, this is Lady Éowyn – emphasis on the _lady_!"

"Be she lady, fairy or mermaid there's more privacy up here." Harry grinned at the reprimanding look Tonks sent him, and at the shocked look Éowyn bestowed upon him. He really loved to annoy and shock people. "There's a ladder that way." He pointed to the wooden ladder with a grin.

The two women climbed up the ladder and all the time he could hear Tonks grumbling and muttering something about mutilating a certain green-eyed captain. Harry was going to pretend that he hadn't heard that one. Otherwise he'd have to flog Tonks with the Cat o' Nine Tails, and that'd definitely ruin the entire mission.

Still grinning Harry offered a helpful hand to Tonks and Éowyn as they reached the top. "Welcome up ladies, pull up a fork-full of hay and sit down."

"And who are you?" Lady Éowyn asked with a slightly annoyed tone to her voice. She was clearly not used to being treated like Harry was treating her.

"Green-Eyes and Harry amongst friends, Captain Potter-Sparrow aboard my ship, and Calenglîn amongst the elves and Rangers. I've been called some other names as well, but those aren't exactly nice. Anyways, have your pick, either way it suits me." Harry smirked and allowed himself to sink with boneless grace in one of the larger hills of hay.

Tonks sighed exasperatedly. "Are you ever going to act seriously, Harry? You're even worse than me! This is a serious matter, you know! One of Wormtongue's men could come in any second and arrest us!"

"That _would_ be a bit of a problem, I have to admit."

Éowyn glared. "Dora said you talked with my brother before he left. I, however, cannot see how you managed to convince Éomer to trust you. You seem like nothing but a drunkard and traitor yourself."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Ey, I resent that! I've never been more than slightly tipsy in me life despite Jack's best tries to intoxicate me, and I seem to have an allergy against traitors. And you don't see me sneezing do ye?"

"No disrespect Harry, but shut up!" Tonks shot in before the verbal battle could develop any further. "Honestly!"

Green eyes turned towards the female metamorphmagus. "Jumping jellyfish Morphy! I think you're turning into a real lady just like Jacqueline! At least you're more boring than what I remember you being."

"I am not boring, I am serious. There is a difference. Now, lets get down to business here before someone misses Lady Éowyn."

"Actually, now that you mention it, I have a question for you Morphy. Why the hell did I have to be here when you are the one who is going to tell everything to the lovely lady here?" Harry nodded towards Éowyn who looked like she would rather be in Mordor than here with him. "Ey, I'm not _that_ bad!"

"That doesn't even warrant a response from me."

Tonks sighed exasperatedly but ignored the jab Éowyn had delivered. "You didn't have to be here, Harry, I just wanted the two of you to meet so that in case something happens that Lady Éowyn knows who to trust."

" 'Trust' is taking it a bit far."

"Ye wound me, luv! Ye really do!" the green-eyed pirate put a hand over his heart and sent a wounded look towards the White Lady of Rohan. Éowyn replied with a look that clearly stated she was sorry it wasn't a fatal wound, and Harry grinned but turned back to Tonks. "Right, now that this little tête-à-tête is over I'll be on me way. That's unless ye have anything else te add?" he continued as he stood up and started brushing the hay off. Tonks shook her head, obviously wanting to get Harry and Éowyn as far from each other as possible, and Harry picked up the hay-fork and slung it over his shoulder. "Well then, toodles to ye ladies!" he said and climbed down and left the stable.

Just outside he bumped into the one person he didn't need to bump into. Yep, that's right kiddies. Harry had bumped into Grima Wormtongue.

----------------....----------------

There, please tell me what you think.

Thanks to:

Angel the Devil's Daughter, Shitza, ArcherofDarkness, Lunawolf, phoenix catcher, musicstarlover, Wynjara, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Shaddow, Digi Bonds, Kaaera, Stahchild, Lady Malfoy I, chaser1, crazley, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Destiny's Dragon, Kathy stgqvk, LilNagy05, Nicole Potter, Andine, Sweetest Thang.


	13. Chapter 13

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rolwing and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** I am sorry for the long absence and I won't bore you with details. Suffice to say that school and Writers Block were the cause of it. However, now I am back and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Harry groaned mentally, but outwardly didn't give off any signs that he was really against this meeting. Instead he looked the much-feared man up and down as discretely as possible, and drew conclusions from that.

If Peter Pettigrew had looked like a rat, then Grima Wormtongue really looked like a snake. He could have been a rather nice man in his forties if he hadn't been so pale, his eyes hadn't had that slightly haunted yet evil look, and if he had taken more care of his own hygiene. The man was bent and hunching, and Harry could easily understand why no one liked him. Not only did he look very unpleasing, there was a certain aura around the man as well which repulsed normal people like the smell of a rotting corpse.

Wormtongue seemed to shake himself out of whatever thoughts he had been in, and spotted Harry coming out of the stable with a hay-fork over his shoulder. "You there!" the black-clad man called. "Stable boy!"

Harry looked up, put on a 'village idiot' face and pointed a finger to himself as if asking if the other man was talking to him.

"Yes, you!" Wormtongue continued. "I am going for a journey, and I need you to saddle my horse. Quickly! Hop to it or I'll have you cast in irons!"

The pirate-captain, deciding to see if he could get anything useful out of the situation, hurried to obey – however, he didn't forget to send a quick thank-you to both Fred and George for pointing out to him the horse and equipment that belonged to Wormtongue earlier that day. Wormtongue followed him into the stable and watched as Harry quickly saddled the right horse.

"Are you new here?" the man finally spoke up.

"Aye sire," Harry replied in an overly happy, I-am-a-three-year-old-idiot voice. Even though he hated acting inferior to this little worm, he knew it was only further enhancing the picture of him being a slightly retarded young man. "My uncle is sick sire, so I got to take over for him today! And people have been so kind and patient with me! And I have never seen so much hay in one place, the hay-loft is really, _really_ big! And aunt said that I had to come back in time for dinner. And I once had a horsie named-"

Wormtongue, to stop the incessant babbling, slapped the stable boy and grabbed the reins of his saddled horse. "I never asked for your history, _boy_!" he growled. "Now get out of my way!"

Harry scrambled to obey and watched as the other man rode out of the stable, through Edoras and out onto the plains with top speed. Green eyes narrowed and lost the slightly glazed look that had fallen over them the moment the play was started. Now they were sharp and intelligent, and they also promised revenge for the received slap.

After putting the hay-fork away, Harry walked to the Locker and once inside he pulled out the map and the compass and put them on the table. No one else was in the house, and he didn't have to worry about someone discovering the secrets of the compass.

"Where is Grima Wormtongue heading to?" the green-eyed man whispered, and the compass needle started spinning before it pointed northwest.

'**_Orthanc, Isengard'_** said the writing once it appeared, and Harry raised an eyebrow. Either Wormtongue was stupid or he was so confident in his victory over King Theoden and the Rohirric people that he didn't have qualms about leaving them practically unsupervised.

'_Well, he might have won if there hadn't been pirates in the vicinity,'_ Harry thought to himself with a smirk. He folded and the map, and put it and the compass in their usual pocket. _'I think this little chance calls for a surprise visit to King Theoden.'_

It was surprisingly easy to get into the king's chambers, Harry noted as he jumped down from the window ledge and landed on silent feet in the shadows just beneath. In fact, it was so easy it was getting worrisome. He'd have to talk about the security to the king, this was getting ridiculous!

Shaking his head, Harry started taking in his surroundings. The room was decorated with thick rugs and tapestries. Weapons, banners and armour was hung on the walls as well, or they were leaning against them. In one end of the room stood a desk and writing utensils, and along one of the walls there were several chests of various sizes and context. In the other end there was a soft-looking bed, and in it lay King Theoden.

* * *

'_Damn, they weren't overdoing it!'_ the green-eyed pirate thought to himself with a frown upon seeing the king. Theoden looked like he had aged fifty years in the span of a month or less – which might very well be what had actually happened. He had thin, white hair, and was almost bald. His face was full of lines and had an old-man's skin, and his eyes. Harry shuddered upon seeing the eyes. They were open and staring at something only they could see. They were blue of colour, or would have been if there wasn't that far-away – even blind – look to them. And from the corner of those eyes came a yellowish fluid that no human would allow to fester. The proud king of Rohan looked like an empty shell. All of these things led Harry to the conclusion that there certainly was something wrong here, and also that he had his work cut out for him.

Closing his eyes for a moment and preparing himself for what he was about to do, Harry hoped to all the gods, or whatever was out there, that he was doing the right thing. Breaking in and entering the king's personal chambers would surely either get him hanged or a life-time in a cosy little prison cell. Neither sounded good.

'_So make sure you're not caught!'_ he mentally yelled to himself. _'If Jack hears about it, he'll never let you live it down, Potter!'_ taking one last deep breath, Harry turned back to the king.

The pirate captain stepped up to the bed and sat down on the edge. He framed the king's face with his hands and held it steady whilst green eyes stared in glazed, empty blue ones. With that, he started the agonizingly slow work of entering the king's mind without being discovered by the enemy – who was more than likely Saruman in this case.

However, no one seemed to be 'home' at the moment, and Harry met no resistance except a small ward which would alert Saruman to intruders. The ward was easy to detect and manipulate, and Harry looked around the king's mind. He seemed to be in a never-ending plain, although he could see some snow-capped mountains in the far, far distance. The land reminded him of Rohan, and Harry had no doubt that that's what the land was supposed to be.

He started searching for any sign of the king in this mental world, and soon came upon a horse. It was a proud stallion, one who had clearly been leader of his herd for decades, but now he was lying on the ground, his legs tied up and his body held down by chains. Harry raised an eyebrow and shook his head. This was the mental body of the king, if he wasn't much mistaken. _'The Rohirric people really worship horses, don't they?' _the pirate wondered as he moved slowly, and carefully removed the strip of cloth used as a blindfold.

The stallion looked around, the white in his eyes easy to see, and Harry sighed. He didn't really have the time to calm down a panicking horse. He had already lingered more than he should have!

"Calm down," he whispered in a tone he only used with children. The stallion stopped trying to get free of his binds, and looked at him. "Now, lets see what can be done here…" the pirate muttered and checked the chains first. The chains were easy to remove, but the ropes binding the hooves together proved to be more difficult. He wasn't going to be able to remove those without alerting Saruman of his presence.

"Who are you?" the horse asked in a voice Harry supposed belonged to the king himself.

"Harry Potter at your service, Your Majesty," Harry replied, careful to keep any mention of pirating and magic away in case Saruman decided to torture the mental image of the king for information. "Recently arrived from the wonderful woods of Lothlórien, and that's all you need to know for now. Safety reasons and all that."

"How is my kingdom doing?" the stallion asked, a slight note of panic in his voice.

"We're doing what we can." Harry tinkered with the ropes for another minute, but gave up in the end. This time Saruman had outsmarted him. "I'm afraid I won't be able to remove those ropes without causing even more trouble." He told the king and realised just how stupid it was to talk to a horse which would talk back. Reminded him of those Narnia-books.

The stallion shook his head. "It won't matter, Master Potter. As soon as Saruman comes back to take over my body, he will tie me up again."

The pirate hmm-ed and then grinned. "Perhaps not. Now, you do know Your Majesty, that all of this is going on inside your own head right? Well, since it's _your_ head, why don't you think up a few traps and fakes to keep Saruman from finding you – at least until I can come up with something better."

"Can one do that? Won't the Wizard of Many Colours see right through a simple trick like that?"

"Sometimes the simplest is the best." Harry looked around again. "I'll leave you to it, Your Majesty, I've already lingered for far too long. Good luck, and I'll see you as soon as possible."

The horse looked at him with wise blue eyes. "You are a strange man, Harry Potter."

Harry grinned. "You don't know half of it!" he replied before he forced himself back into his own body. With a gasp Harry found himself in his physical body again, and he looked at the king. The man had lost some of that sickly look, and seemed younger even. _'Lets hope it lasts long enough.'_ He thought to himself as he stood up and stretched. _'I don't think he understood half of what I was saying about it all going on in his own head.'_ His thoughts were cut off when the door of the room went open and he stood face to face with one of those men that Wormtongue had hired.

The two of them just stared at each other for a second before the outlaw yelled and drew his sword. Harry's hand went to his own waist, then he cursed himself for leaving the Gryffindor sword back at the Locker both to keep inconspicuous as he walked through the streets of Edoras up to the castle, and also because climbing with a sword through a window was not easy. Only fast thinking and reflexes kept him alive as he grabbed a chair and blocked the sword with it. The chair broke and Harry was left with one of the legs in his hand while the rest fell to the floor.

He ducked and rolled away from the next attack and at the same time whispered a quiet '_Portus'_. As soon as he stopped rolling, the portkey activated and he disappeared with a pop leaving a very surprised man behind.

* * *

After his visit to the king which had nearly ended with a new member to the Headless Hunt, Harry only exited the Locker in disguises on his daily tours of the city. He had been warned by Tonks who had in passing heard two of those outlaws talking about a green-eyed man they had to capture soon, and had taken his own precautions against that. Quite frankly he was surprised that they began the hunt for him so soon, he would've thought they were more like the Royal Navy back on Earth: slow and at their own lazy pace.

Otherwise Harry was forced to stay inside, and it was bugging the hell out of him. Being a pirate, he was used to move wherever he wanted, and he could easily sympathise with Sirius during the time his deceased godfather had been forced to spend in house arrest in #12 Grimmauld Place. It was on one of these days that something actually happened.

It was a rainy, boring day, and one couldn't even sit by the window and people-watch, as there were no people outside to watch – except the occasional person who ran from one doorway to the other trying to keep themselves relatively dry until they reached their own home.

Tonks and the twins were working in Meduseld, and Poppy had been called out to help a woman give birth, and Harry was left all alone in the safe-house. And quite frankly, he was bored to death. The pirate-captain was looking around the room trying to see what insanity he could come up with to keep himself amused, but found absolutely nothing to do and sat down by the fireplace in a graceless heap.

'_It's so boring around here,'_ the Man Who Lived thought to himself with a sigh. _'I wish something would just happen.'_ And would you know, no sooner than he had finished thinking that, then Fawkes appeared in the flames of the fireplace with a couple of letters held in his claws. The green-eyed pirate blinked in surprise, then grinned and sent a thank-you to whatever gods there were out there.

"Well Fawkes, lets see what you've got for me." He muttered as he removed the letters and the phoenix settled on his shoulder. The first letter was from Ron who was getting more and more worried. He reported that Haradrim and other men from the south came up the road and went through Ithilien and into Mordor. There hadn't been any casualties for the pirates yet, but that was only a matter of time before one of them fell. The next letter proved to be from Severus. It was very short, and obviously hastily written on the back of a horse if the writing was anything to go by. Snape's usually flowing, spidery letters looked like they had gone through an earthquake and a tsunami at the same time, and Harry had to concentrate to read what the man was reporting. There was nothing new except the sighting of Grima Wormtongue on his way back from Isengard, and a few reports on orcs and Uruk-hai. The man hadn't sent along any medallions this time as he hadn't had the time to give them to Fawkes, nor had he dared to 'drop' the pouch of medallions somewhere for the phoenix to pick up. His group had constantly been on the move, and they rarely spent more than a night in one place before moving on.

Harry shook his head and hoped that the other man would be fine, before he moved on to the last letter. The letter came from Anamaria, and was written in her 1700th-century style script which she had never bothered to get rid off.

_You bloody scallywag, _

_Tell me the name of the safe-house in Rohan. NOW!_

_ Anamaria_

That was all there was, and Harry raised an eyebrow. He turned the note over, wrote the requested name and handed it to Fawkes who disappeared again in a burst of flames. Five minutes later the phoenix appeared again, dropped a new note in the lap of a rather curious Harry, and disappeared just as fast as it had appeared. Harry blinked in surprise before opening the new note to read.

_Green-Eyes,_

_I am sorry about this, but none of us can handle it anymore, and even the Lady looks to be on the verge of committing murder. So we're sending Cecil Darling to you for two reasons: one being that you're the only one who can control the man, and the other being to keep ourselves from going insane. We figured you're already insane and that it wouldn't matter much. _

_We're also sending along James. The boy just won't sit still after you left, and has been begging to go. And you know no one can refuse him when he uses THOSE eyes. They will both arrive with portkey a moment or so after you receive this letter._

_Enjoy the insanity,_

_ Anamaria __and Jacqueline_

Harry growled, his eyes flashing angrily. He wasn't the one who was insane! Who, in their right minds, would send James with Darling without supervision! Darling had previously proved to be liable to mutiny and also had a knack for laying the scene for some of the most dangerous situations ever heard of, and they were sending that madman unsupervised with _James_!

'_As soon as I get my hands on those two…!'_ Harry raged silently and threw the letter along with the other two into the fireplace and watched them burn for a moment, before he calmed down somewhat. _'Damn them, and just when I thought I had pelted Darling on someone else! That's the last time I wish for something to happen!'_

He turned around upon hearing the telltale 'pop' that accompanied a portkey, and also a shocked yelp and crash. Darling lay on the floor after somehow having managed to stumble over the table, not that it surprised Harry. James on the other hand dropped the portkey (an old wool sock, which meant that Dumbledore missed one sock from his collection), and ran full speed towards the green-eyed man.

"Uncle Harry!" the boy exclaimed as he hugged Harry round the middle with all his strength. "I've missed you, Uncle Harry!"

"It's great te see ye too, lad," Harry replied with a grin and hugged the boy back. "Ye can put yer stuff in there, Darling." He nodded towards the door which led to the bedrooms – a simple room parted in two for boys and girls.

"Aye sir," Darling replied before doing that.

Harry kept a suspicious eye at the younger man until he disappeared into the room, before he turned back to James. "Well lad, wanna tell me what's happened since I saw ye last?"

James nodded eagerly and was off like a shot, his mouth working a mile a minute, telling his favourite uncle what had happened in Lothlórien since Harry had left.

* * *

Harry shifted only slightly, careful not to wake James who was using him as a pillow. They had stayed up almost until dawn talking, and had fallen asleep in the end on one of the wider benches. Harry sat leaning up against the wall of the fireplace, his legs stretched out on the bench, with James on top of him, and also with a cloak draped over them. He had summoned it after the boy had fallen asleep last night and had covered them both. He heard whispered voices by the table, and easily recognised them as Fred, George, Tonks and – to his great surprise – Eowyn.

"It's so sweet!" Fred said quietly. "Should we take a picture of the two of them?"

"Shhh!" Tonks hissed. "Don't wake them up! You know how rarely Harry has a good night's sleep! And this is not the time for you two to start a prank war or blackmailing people! This is a sad day!"

"Perhaps you ought to lower your own voice then, Morphy!" George defended his twin.

"Is that his son?" Eowyn asked.

Harry imagined that Tonks shook her head before she replied. "Nope, James is Harry's nephew. He must've arrived last night."

Everything might've continued like that for another hour or two, and Harry might've gotten even more sleep, if it hadn't been for a sudden shout of surprise, crash and curses shouted out for the next five minutes. Yep, Cecil Darling had just entered the room. Harry, to stop the cursing, shot his arm out towards the sound, wriggled his fingers and Darling found himself rather voiceless. James groaned and shifted, unwilling to enter the waking world, and Harry agreed with him.

"Good show there, Harry!" Fred said, but was careful enough not to wake James completely.

Harry opened his eyes and scowled towards a frantic-looking Darling. "Stop panicking Darling, it will only last for twenty minutes." Then he turned back towards the four sitting at the table. "Why the long faces, mates?"

The four looked at each other before George started explaining. "Lord Éomer came back this morning. He brought with him Prince Theodred, but the lad was badly hurt. As sad as it is, I don't think he will-" he was cut off here by Tonks to clamped her hand over his mouth and sent a quick look towards Eowyn. The White Lady of Rohan looked either to be on the verge of tears, or on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum.

"What this idiot meant, Harry," Tonks continued, "is that the wound's Theodred suffered were severe, and… and he might… Poppy wasn't allowed in to see to him." She finished quickly whilst changing the subject.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "There's something you aren't telling me, ain't it?"

The three of the pirate-crew looked very, very uncomfortable until Fred broke the silence and brought forth a parchment. "You know the parchment you gave us, with the names of all the pirates in our area, kind of like the grandfather clock back at the Burrow which tells us where and what every person is doing, right?"

"I know that Fred, I was that one who gave 'em to you. Don't draw this out." Harry replied perhaps a bit more snappily than he should have, but he was getting a really bad feeling about where this was heading.

"Well, we lost them, Harry." Tonks whispered. "They're dead."

"Who?"

"Seamus, Dean and Sturgis, the three who went with Theodred. It was a massacre."

Harry didn't reply. He closed his eyes and hugged James tighter. He could feel the lad's tears soaking through his shirt, and knew that the boy had heard the entire conversation. For himself, Harry didn't really know what to feel. As a pirate he had seen and caused lots of death and destruction, and when the people had signed up for the mission into Middle Earth they had all been warned that they might die in the weird new world.

"They're at a better place now," Harry whispered to calm everyone down. "Death isn't too bad, just the next great adventure."

James looked up at him, tears running down his cheeks. "Y-you've seen it?" the boy sniffed and Harry nodded to everyone's surprise. "How was it?"

Harry closed his eyes in remembrance. He hadn't told anyone what had happened while he had been unconscious in the aftermath of his last battle with Voldemort, but he supposed now was the time to do so. They needed comfort. "It's soft," he started trying to put the it all into words. It was difficult. "White light all around you, not a blinding white or a cold white, but a soft, warm light-beige colour that embraces you. That is the Crossworld, the last plane between this world and the next. That's the closest I've come to death, but it was so nice there that it's indescribable, and if that's only the Crossworld, imagine what the Next World must look like, feel like, be like."

"Meeting up with family." Fred whispered with his eyes closed.

"Friends." George also had his eyes closed.

"Loved ones." Tonks smiled sadly.

"Peace." James murmured.

Even Eowyn seemed somewhat calmer, and Harry sent a small smile to her, but she didn't reply. She looked uncertain, probably was being forced to rethink her evaluation of Harry. Darling just sat there on the floor waiting for his voice to come back, and looking away from everyone else, pondering something or other.

A commotion from outside brought a stop to the sad peace that had invaded the room, and – after settling James on the bench – Harry went over to the window and opened it. "Ey, what's going on?" he asked a man who hurried past the house.

"Haven't you heard!" the man exclaimed. "Lord Éomer's been banished!"

* * *

There. Please tell me what you think.

I know Wormtongue was perhaps a bit out of character, but I really hate the guy, and we never really knew how he acted towards the common folk. It wasn't mentioned in the book nor in the movie, so please bear with it.

Well, Happy New Year to you all and an extra long chapter for that. Please don't expect the next one to be this long, although it might just be. This chapter was hell to write.

And a _HUGE_ thanks to **Twilight Dusk**, who has just come up with the theme song for '_Rings and Medallions_' – at least I hope they have nothing against it! .

_We pillage, we plunder we rifle and loot  
Drink up me hearties, yo ho  
We kidnap and ravage and give Fudge the boot  
Drink up me hearties, yo ho  
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me  
__  
The Sparrows in Arda, Jack, Jack, Harry, and James  
Drink up me hearties, yo ho  
Don't bet with Green-Eyes, Albus drives you insane  
Drink up me hearties yo ho  
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me  
__  
Portkey's ain't working, damn stupid Ring  
Drink up me hearties, yo ho  
Medallions in Rohan, too many damn things  
Drink up me hearties, yo ho  
__Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me_

_Men, Dwarves, Hobbits and Elves all, we're gettin' in deep  
Drink up me hearties yo ho  
But we got 'Arry and Jack here, and Wormtongue's a creep  
Drink up me hearties yo ho  
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me_

_  
Rings, and Medallions, It's a bloody great mess  
Drink up me hearties, yo ho  
Darling's an' idiot and Jackie's in a dress  
Drink up me hearties, yo ho  
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's life for me_

Thanks to:

Shitza, Lady Nicole Potter, kathy stgqvk, Digi Bonds, Lunawolf, Danny boy, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, JeanieBeanie33, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Musicstarlover, chaser1, Wynjara, Andine, candidus-lupus-full Moon, HarryNDracosDarlin, Skater Wolf, SSSRoaB, Me, Dragon Rider22, Lina Thanatos, Kiyana, S. Malfoy and Twilight Dusk.


	14. Chapter 14

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** Sorry about the lateness for this, but school and various other duties had me tied up. Enjoy!

Thanks to me wonderful friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Eowyn didn't really know what to think. Not only had her brother been banished from Rohan, but Harry and young James had both insisted to escort her to Meduseld that evening to 'make sure nothing happened to her' according to them. Well, something _was_ happening to her: she was being more and more convinced of the fact that one Harry Potter-Sparrow was completely and utterly insane. Not long after leaving the Locker, James had asked why people wanted to take over the world in the first place, and somehow that had evolved into a discussion between the uncle and nephew.

"You see James," Harry was saying at the moment. "I really don't think that those evil Dark Lords think things through before starting their invasions."

James blinked. "Uncle Harry, I think most of them expect people to stand up to them."

"I wasn't talking about that!" the green-eyed pirate exclaimed and threw his hands up in the air. "You're not listening to me, lad."

"What were you talking about then?" Eowyn asked before she could stop herself.

"Paperwork!" came the reply.

It was so quiet that both James and Eowyn could've sworn they heard the stars move across the sky.

"_Excuse me_!" the White Lady demanded.

Harry looked at them both. "Ye mean to tell me ye 'ave never even _considered_ just how _much_ paperwork there's got to be involved in ruling the world! Just think 'bout it! With those amounts o' paperwork it's no wonder that all the Dark Lords are defeated in the end! They either get really stressed and/or really bored o' doin' paperwork, make a mistake in their plannin' and the good guys win in no time!"

"But Uncle Harry, I think most Dark Lords have other people working for them that take care of the paperwork." James pointed out.

The older pirate shook his head. "No, no, no! If that were true then it'd be those people who ruled the world and not the Dark Lord himself!"

"No one could manage such huge amounts on their own, Uncle Harry! The Dark Lord's got to have an inner group of helpers whom he trusts."

"James, Dark Lords don't trust anyone. It's all a matter on how you look at it really. Like the old question: who came first, the chicken or the egg? Or: why did the chicken cross the road?"

Eowyn blinked. "Why did the chicken cross the road?" she echoed. Where did all these insanities come from!

Harry scratched his head. "Well, according to a terrorist named Saddam Hussein, it was a unprovoked act of rebellion, which justified the dropping of 50 ton toxic, torturous acid on said chicken."

The White Lady of Rohan blinked again and decided to keep far away from the green-eyed pirate in the future, and only communicate to him through Dora and the two redheaded twins that worked in the stable. Captain Harry Potter-Sparrow could very well be the last hope for Rohan in these days of depression, but she didn't care at the moment. She was only trying to save her sanity; it wouldn't last long in the company she was currently keeping, and who would then keep Rohan from falling into the hands of the enemy?

James on the other hand, just shook his head with a grin. "You are totally insane, Uncle Harry."

Harry smirked and ruffled the boy's hair. "I am, aren't I?" his smirk turned into a grin as James protested on the treatment of his hair, and pushed his uncle's hand away. Harry opened his mouth to make another remark which would – undoubtedly – turn out to be totally insane as well, but stopped suddenly.

"Uncle Harry?" James asked hesitantly and became even more worried as Harry mentioned for him to be quiet. Eowyn noticed the green-eyed man had stopped and walked back to them. She stopped beside the young lad and sent the boy a questioning look. James only shrugged his shoulders, and the two of them watched as Harry seemed to strain to hear something.

"_Shit_!" Harry shook his head and without warning grabbed both Eowyn and James and started running through the narrow streets.

"What is going on?" Eowyn demanded as she picked up her dress with one hand, the other was still caught in Harry's strong grip.

"Grima's men are following us," came the short reply.

James' eyes widened slightly at that. "U-Uncle Harry…"

Harry didn't reply. They could now hear the sound of several men chasing them, and up ahead they could see the shadows of another group coming straight towards them. Apparently one of those men held a torch, and their shadows were flickering madly on the walls of the houses.

'_This cannot be allowed to develop into a long chase,'_ Harry thought to himself as he watched the shadows flicker. _'James and Eowyn are not up for it. Damn it all!' _he knew what he had to do, and at the next opportune moment he pushed Eowyn and James into a dark, small blind alley between two of the houses. He took off his coat and handed it to James, before handing his pistol to the lad and the pouch with the medallions as well.

"U-Uncle Harry?" James' voice was weak and scared, his eyes worriedly watching the elder man.

"It's alright, lad," Harry replied with a smile. "I haven't had a good chase in years."

"W-what?" Eowyn stuttered. She was standing deeper in the alley with James between her and the only exit. "What do you mean to do?"

"OVER HERE!" the shouts of the approaching men came closer and closer.

Harry looked back at the two people in the alley. "James, take care of those for me, aye? Lady Eowyn, please take care of James, and don't trust Cecil Darling at any costs." He looked around again and stepped away from the mouth of the alley.

James took a step forwards. "But Uncle Harry-"

"THERE HE IS!" the men had finally spotted Harry in the darkness.

"GET HIM! GRIMA'S ORDERS!"

"Keep to the Code, James." Was all Harry said before he ran off.

Eowyn wasted no time in dragging Jams further into the alley, and together they crutched down, covered themselves with Harry's dark coat and listened to the sound of men shouting and running by. Then came the sound of swords clashing together, cursing, shouts of surprise and finally silence. James was shaking in Eowyn's embrace, his face hidden in her shoulder as he was trying to hide his tears. Even Eowyn was shocked, and she tightened her hold on the ten-year-old. They would wait for another while before finishing their trek up to Medusled. The green-eyed pirate captain's sacrifice would not be in vain.

* * *

Severus looked up at the dark sky as he continued riding at the head of the group of outlaws. He was seriously starting to worry. He had followed Lord Éomer's instructions and had attacked any group of orcs or wild men he had come across in Rohan. However, Éomer was only the Potion Master's temporary superior. As soon as Harry sent news or an order, Severus would put those as his main priority, no matter if they went against previous orders made by King Theoden's nephew.

'_However, therein lies the problem,'_ the ex-Death Eater thought to himself as he brought his gaze down form the skies. _'I haven't heard from Potter in a worryingly long time. It isn't like him to not send letters – some of them I _know_ he sends just to annoy me.'_ He was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of many riders approaching. The other's in his company gripped their swords or their spears, getting ready in case Wormtongue had sent out his men to capture them. Severus himself readjusted his grip on the spear he was carrying and every muscle in his body tightened, ready for battle.

But as the riders came closer and were easier to see, the little band of outlaws relaxed and let loose their breath. It wasn't Wormtongue's men, nor was it a group of warg-riding orcs come to slaughter them. It was another group of more-than-likely outlawed men, and at the head of them rode none other than Lord Éomer himself.

Quickly lowering his spear, Severus bowed his head respectfully as Éomer came up beside him. "My Lord Éomer. It is good to see you in these times, and especially all the way out here."

Éomer nodded back. "I am glad I finally found you, Severus. I have good news and bad news, but both must be shared as we ride. My scouts discovered a party of Uruk-hai travelling towards Isengard, and I have every intention to make sure they never reach their accursed destination."

Severus nodded and let the younger man set the direction and the pace. He rode beside the blond man, and behind him he could hear Éomer's group easily mixing up with his own smaller one, and even some quiet chatter between friends that met up again. "You said you had news, My Lord?" he inquired after a while in silence.

"As you have probably already deducted, Severus, I have been outlawed as well. These men with me are those still faithful to Rohan which joined up with me as I travelled in search for you," the Third Marshalk of the Riddermark began. "I can only hope that Eowyn will manage to keep Wormtongue from the throne and herself – and I thank the gods that Captain Potter-Sparrow arrived at the time he did."

One of the best spies of the Order of the Phoenix was honestly shocked. Sure, he had received letters from Potter, but never had the damn pirate disclosed his place of residence. For all Severus had known, the green-eyed man had still been in Rivendell.

Watching the black-haired man from the corner of his eye, Éomer had to hide a smile. As far as he knew very little had managed to shock the man riding beside him, but this seemed to have done the trick for Severus was actually _gaping_ slightly. Even if it passed quicker than one could say 'Uruk-hai', it had been there nonetheless, and it had been fun shocking the other man. _'Must remember to thank the good captain for this,'_ Éomer thought to himself as Severus finally got over his shock.

Severus turned to Éomer. "_Harry_ is in _Rohan_!" he asked, then cursed himself for asking such an obvious question.

"Indeed, and the captain asked me to bring you a message. One that I think you will enjoy to hear, my friend." Éomer smiled. "He said that Ana sends her love."

For a long time the group rode on mostly in silence towards the looming shadow of the Fangorn Forest. Occasionally someone at the back would whisper something, but otherwise everything was silent except the sounds of the hoof beats. Severus' thoughts were no longer on strangling Harry Potter-Sparrow for not telling him where he was going or was planning to go, but rather on Anamaria. That sassy, wild pirate-wench who had elbowed her way into his life and actually managed to stay there for more than a week or two.

'_I fear that we are in way over our heads this time, Ana,'_ the ex-spy thought. _'This whole thing with Middle-Earth is far bigger than we two could have ever imagined.'_

Whilst he had been thinking a scout had joined the group and was giving his report to Éomer. After listening to the younger man, Éomer turned to Severus. "Haithán tells me that the orcs have stopped right at the edge of the forest for rest. There aren't too many of them, and it will be easy to sneak up on them as there seems to be a dispute going on between the orcs and the Uruk-hai. Are your men ready?"

Severus cast a quick look behind them. Every single man was ready and armed to the teeth. They were silent and serious, just waiting for the order to attack. "I believe they all are, My Lord."

Éomer nodded and grabbed his spear. "Good, then let us attack."

It was on times like these that Severus sent a thought of thank-you to his departed mother who had insisted that he learned how to wield a sword and a spear amongst other weapons. He readied his spear and as they thundered into the enemy's camp, he took aim and hurled the spear through an orc that seemed to be bending over something further off from the rest of its companions. It was a perfect hit, and it marked the start of the following fight. The attack had started so quickly and had surprised the orcs and Uruk-hai so thoroughly that the creatures thought they were attacked by the vengeful ghosts of Fangorn Forest for a second. However, the ugly creatures managed to put themselves together and started attacking the riders as they passed.

Several times during the following fight Severus thought he heard shouts of 'Merry' and 'Pippin' amongst the screams of the orcs and the riders. However, he threw it from his mind and concentrated on not being killed by the now-panicking orcs and Uruk-hai. His horse reared and as he swung his sword to smite down another enemy, he could have sworn he heard a decidedly non-orcish voice yell in surprise and fright before his horse got down on all fours again and the fight continued.

* * *

Harry wasn't sure how much time had passed since he had been captured, nor did he know if Eowyn and James had managed to get away. All he knew was that he was hanging by his wrists in the middle of a cold and damp dungeon, and that the manacles were biting into his skin painfully. He was bloodied and bruised and his clothes were ripped all over. His shirt was practically nonexistent, though his pants and boots hadn't sustained much damage. Other chains and manacles hung all along the rough walls of the dungeon, some with prisoners – dead or barely alive – still hanging in them. The smell was terrible, and on a table by the entrance laid numerous torture equipments, some of which Harry had gotten to know pretty well.

Grima's band of followers came into the dungeon almost like clockwork, either to torture him or some other poor prisoner. And Wormtongue himself had also come down into the dungeon to try to make Harry talk. The little traitor was surprisingly alike Norrington in that regard, asking the same questions over and over, and not giving up even when Harry had refused to answer said questions just as many times as they had been asked – and then some.

Once he had even been visited by Saruman. The wizard had tried to break through Harry's mental defences, and although his defences had been weak, Harry had thrown so man unimportant thoughts towards the foreign presence inside his head, that Saruman had retreated. Harry imagined that the traitorous wizard was slightly dizzy due to the speed he had sent his thoughts at. Perhaps the old coot had even gotten a headache. Well, the green-eyed pirate could only hope. However, that little trick had left Harry even weaker than before, and now he concentrated all his power to keep Saruman out of his head.

That was another thing. He hadn't used his magical powers to keep the fact that there were wizards other than the istari running around Middle-Earth and foiling the Dark Lord's plans. At first he had thought that it would be easy to escape from the dungeon, but Wormtongue's men kept him so thoroughly beaten and weakened that it would be impossible without the help of magic. So Harry had decided to hang on (excuse the pun), and weather it out until help arrived.

'_Well, that help better be arrivin' soon 'cause I dunno how much more I can take,'_ the pirate thought to himself, and it was true. He could feel the black, soothing unconsciousness creeping up on him faster and faster, and he knew that as soon as he left the conscious world, that Saruman would start attacking his mind again, and this time actually get through his defences.

Once again he had no idea how much time passed, but vaguely he heard the sounds of a scuffle from the stairs that led out of the dungeon, then the metal door had been flung up with a bang, and the hurried tramping of feet coming down the uneven stone steps followed. By now darkness had taken over his vision completely, and he only heard indefinable shouts and gasps. Then the chains which had been holding him up were slacked and he fell into waiting arms, which then – with the help of other arms – lifted him onto something that could only be a stretcher.

A voice sounding suspiciously like Aragorn telling him he was going to be alright was the last thing Harry heard before darkness claimed him completely.

* * *

There, done. Please tell me what you think!

Thanks to:

ER Monkey Burner of Cookies, TigerlillyandSugarRules, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Avemtilla, Rhysel Ash, Sweetest Thang, Lunawolf, Digi Bonds, Alaranth-88, Shaddow, chaser1, JeanieBeanie33, Destiny's Dragon, Black-Raven3, Dragon Rider22, Musicstarlover, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, zimagesto, Twilight Dusk, DragonFoxx, mr spotty, Wynjara, insanechildfanfic, Dimensional Analysis, tomboy101 and Soft Willow.


	15. Chapter 15

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer: **I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Authors Note:** Sorry about the delay for this chapter. I had it halfway written (on paper at least), but then seemed to lose my inspiration. I hope you enjoy it though!

Thanks to my wonderful friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Harry groaned. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, but during the times he had actually been close to semi-consciousness he had heard voices around him. The voices were worried, and the hands that accompanied said voices were prodding yet soothing, and nothing had set his pirate-instincts off which had allowed him to feel safe enough to fall into a deep, healing sleep. He had instinctively known he had been surrounded by friends, and everything was alright for the moment.

However, this time he decided it was time to seriously rejoin the waking, and he sat up in the bed and looked around the room. It was very simple with wooden chests along the walls, and two tapestries hanging off the walls. There was a window close to the bed, and Harry shakily got up and stumbled over to look out.

He was surprised to find that he had a nice view of the plains that stretched all around Edoras, and by the height of the building's position (and the fact that he couldn't spot the town itself) he could easily guess that he was placed in a room in the back of Meduseld. The first question which popped into his head after this revelation was: how the hell had he ended up in this particular room? Was this a new trick of Wormtongue's? The old confuse-your-enemy-around-the-bend trick which hardly ever worked?

Snorting at his own thoughts, Harry turned back to the room and thought back to the last thing he remembered. The voices he had heard during his less than semi-conscious state, and the fact that he distinctly remembered hearing Aragorn's voice down in that god-forsaken dungeon, well, putting together those two facts made it easy to deduce that he had, in fact, been rescued.

Spotting his usual attire resting nicely folded on a chair beside the bed, Harry headed over whilst shaking his head. _'All that torturing must've messed with me mind! I'm actually soundin' half-coherent there!'_ he shuddered as he got dressed. _'Now **there's** a depressin' thought. Hope I'm not turnin' sane.'_

He found his pistol, the magical compass, the map (he really needed to return it to Aragorn in the close future), the dagger he usually kept hidden and the pouch of medallions he had given James before he had been captured. It was all laying on the same chair underneath his clothes, or around the chair and leaned against the wall like his sword which had again reverted from a cutlass and into its original shape of the Sword of Gryffindor.

Now that he was dressed again he decided to not go wandering around Meduseld, but rather check on the hunt for the medallions. Taking out the map and compass again he placed it on the bed, sat down and took a deep breath.

"Right-o! Now, lets see where the medallions are, ey mate?" Harry muttered as he poked the compass with a finger. The needle started to spin, building up speed and then stopped so suddenly that the green-eyed pirate nearly got dizzy. "Wow, easy there, no need fer hurrin' ye know… bloody 'ell, I'm talkin' te a compass!" he shook his head. _'I guess this means I haven't lost my grip on insanity, and thank the gods fer that!'_

'**_Four medallions with the Ringwraiths,'_** was the first thing that appeared in the air.

'_**59 medallions in Rohan. 35 in Edoras, 29 of which are in the custody of the most amazing Captain Harry James Green-Eyes Calenglîn Potter-Sparrow.'**_

Harry blinked at the last part of that sentence. _'Either someone's messed with this thing, or the compass is developing a mind of its own – which actually wouldn't surprise me all that much.'_

'_**6 medallions in the custody of Gandalf the White, the dude who defied death.'**_

The green-eyed pirate-captain smirked at that remark. He knew he should be more shocked that the old killjoy was actually alive, but through the years as a pirate and as a wizard he had learned that there was no chance for a hero to die by simply falling off some cliff or whatever it happened to be. All heroes had a ridiculously normal death by choking on a bit of food, or just falling asleep in their beds and die that way.

'_**19 medallions the in custody of Potion Master and spy, Severus Snape.' **_

'_**250 medallions in Orthanc along with the chest.'**_

He really needed to pay a visit to Orthanc in the close future, he really did. Saruman had had possession of those medallions long enough.

'_**Five medallions in Minas Tirith with the Steward-who-is-going-bonkers.'**_

'_You know, I'm starting to like this thing!'_ the pirate grinned openly. He completely ignored the little voice in his head which reminded him of Mr Weasley's words from his second year, telling him not to trust something if you didn't know where it kept its brain. _'Then again, I don't suppose that a Steward going bonkers at this point in the war is a good thing. Now, what information to tell Gandalf? Too much information could be bad, as could too little.'_ He sighed. _'I suppose I'll have to see just how much the guy already knows.'_

'_**50 medallions in the custody of the Corsairs of Umbar.'**_

Harry smirked again. _'Finally time to give Jack the go-ahead to attack all and any corsair ships heading to the north. He'll love that. Probably been boring himself silly lately without any action.'_

'_**3 medallions in Ithilien in the custody of Ronald Weasley.'**_

'_**15 medallions in Southern-Gondor and heading northwards on the Harad Road.'**_

"And 500 medallions are known to be in Mordor itself." Harry mumbled thoughtfully. "Where is Sammy-boy right now I wonder?"

The needle started spinning again, stopped and then words appeared. **_'One medallion outside the Black Gates of Mordor.'_**

Harry blinked in shock at that, shook his head, rubbed his eyes and stared at the writing. It didn't change. "Bloody 'ell, are those two completely _insane_!" he exclaimed in shock. Harry knew he wasn't exactly the right one to ask something like that – lord knows he was completely insane himself – but there was a large difference between being pirate-insane and being idiot-insane. And right now the two hobbits (he assumed there were two as where Frodo went so did Sam) were demonstrating large amounts of the latter kind of insanity.

The door to the room banged open and into the room stumbled James. When the lad saw Harry sitting on the bed he shouted happily and threw himself at his uncle nearly squeezing the breath out of the older man.

"James!" Harry managed to deactivate the compass and return it to a pocket whilst James was occupied. There was no need for the lad – or anyone else – to know what went on. At least not yet.

"Uncle Harry!" the young boy said over and over into Harry's shirt as if trying to assure himself that the elder pirate was really there. "Uncle Harry, you're alive and well! I thought w-we had l-lost you-u, a-and-"

"Easy there mate, no need te think o' the 'what-ifs'," Harry replied tightening his hold around the boy. "Thinkin' like that ne'er brought anyone any good." James only nodded, but didn't let go of Harry's shirt. Instead the boy made himself right at home on the bed, sticking to Harry's side as if he'd been glued there with magical super-glue. "Now lad, what's been happenin' since I took an unscheduled trip te la-la-land?"

The ten-year-old sniffed and sat up a bit. "A lot has been happening Uncle Harry. Mr Aragorn arrived two days ago along with Mr Legolas, Mr Gimli and Mr Gandalf, and-"

"Ey, time out there mate! Gandalf! As in the killjoy!" Harry pretended being more shocked by the news than he really was. It was one thing reading that the old wizard was alive, but another thing completely to hear it from his nephews lips.

"Mr Gandalf returned from the dead!" James said happily.

"He did?" the green-eyed man raised an eyebrow. "Why is that everyone I ever get te know – personally or impersonally – somehow manage to come back from being as dead as doornails. Actually that's a very weird phrase when ye think o' it. I mean, doornails were never alive in the first place!"

James laughed happily and hugged Harry again. "Good old Uncle Harry!"

"Good old Captain Sparrow indeed!" a new, jovial voice joined the conversation. By the door stood the same old Gandalf, except that his robes, beard, hair and the intricately carved staff where white as snow. The old wizard was smiling and leaning on said staff as he gazed upon the two on the bed. "But I have only come back until my task is done." The istar added with twinkling eyes.

"I love the white robes mate, who's yer tailor?" Harry asked thinking he could perhaps get those kind of robes for Dumbledore for the Headmaster's birthday or something.

Gandalf sent him a flat look and sighed. "It seems, Captain Sparrow, that not even a near-death experience can change the nature of a pirate." He grumbled, though his eyes were still sparkling like stars. "You gave us all quite a scare when we heard from young James that you had been captured by Grima Wormtongue's men. For a moment we thought we had come too late."

Leaning back in satisfaction that was designed to annoy the istar even further, Harry grinned impishly. "You know, cockroaches are nasty, annoying little critters, but damn hard te kill. Ye ain't gettin' rid o' me that easily, mate!"

"Indeed, I would have been worried if that were the case, mellon nin." Gandalf shot back.

Harry blinked. "There ye go with the melons! What do melons 'ave te do with this conversation! Aragorn said the same thing on our journey to Rivendell, and the elves seemed to delight in throwing that phrase around. I don't see what nine melons 'ave te do with anything!"

Shaking his head, Gandalf decided to put an end to the conversation before it got completely out of hand. "Well, Master Sparrow, are you well enough for a meeting with King Theoden?"

"I do believe I am," the green-eyed man replied with a grin. "Although whether the king is ready to meet the real me is a different thing entirely!"

"I don't think anyone can be prepared to meet someone like you, Uncle Harry!" James deadpanned with a grin as he stood up and moved towards Gandalf.

"You better believe it!" Harry declared and tried to jump off the bed. Instead he somehow managed to get himself tangled in the sheets, and ended toppling face first to the floor. James burst out laughing and not even Gandalf could contain his chuckles. Harry groaned and mumbled something which sounded suspiciously like 'Floor meet Harry, Harry meet Floor. Nice to meet you', and this in turn sent James into another bout of laughter.

The old wizard quickly sobered up again, though his lips twitched. "Now, if you could put yourself together Master Pirate, we could get this meeting underway?"

"Glad I could annoy you!" the pirate-captain quipped as he finally stood on his own two feet again.

"May I remind you that it is neither productive nor wise to make a king wait – especially a king who has just been freed from Saruman's hold." There was a warning note in Gandalf's voice as they started walking down the corridor.

The green-eyed man shook his head. "Nothing like a healthy bout of terrifying torture to make one appreciate life!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if your torturers were the ones who were terrified." Gandalf deadpanned without breaking his stride.

Harry chuckled and put a dramatic hand above his heart. "Sharp, mate, sharp! That really hurt!"

The old wizard growled. "You can joke with everything, Captain Sparrow!"

"Actually, it's Captain _Potter_-Sparrow if ye want te be technical. Captain Sparrow is Jack, this lad's father." Harry winked at James who was shaking with laughter and hanging on to the green-eyed man to keep from collapsing completely.

Gandalf said no more.

...----------------…

Although the reunion with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli was joyous, there was still an underlying tone of sadness, especially around King Theoden and Éowyn. Harry raised an eyebrow, but didn't mention it at that time, and just chuckled when Gimli threatened to cut him down to size next time he tried to give them a heart attack.

There were also two children there, the boy around James' age. They were gaunt and dirty, and were eating the food they were given with gusto. Éowyn was currently tending to them, and James had joined them soon after entering the hall.

"What's goin' on?" Harry asked Aragorn quietly.

"Their village was attacked," the Ranger replied seriously. "Wild Men and Uruk-hai are moving through the kingdom plundering and killing."

"It is probably a trick of Saruman's," Legolas joined the quiet conversation. "First he has to weaken Rohan, before he can try to take over."

"And he's doing a good job of it," Aragorn continued. "The king's son, Theodred, died and was buried just this morning. It was the king himself and Gandalf, who found the two children."

Harry shook his head sadly as he watched James try to make the boy and girl feel better. "The cruellest acts are preformed with the best intentions, and I suppose that's how Saruman fell into the Ring's trap."

Their attention was drawn back to the rest of the hall when Éowyn stood up from where she had been sitting beside the young girl. "They had no warning, they were unarmed. Now the Wild Men are moving through the westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot, and tree."

"Where's mama!" the girl asked at once in a frightened voice, and the golden-haired woman turned at once to comfort her.

"I'm sure she's just fine," James said trying to help.

"This is but a taste of the terror Saruman will unleash All the more potent for he is driven mad by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight." Gandalf said from his place by the king's throne.

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their King." Aragorn couldn't help but point out.

"Not to mention the 30 pirates in that group." Harry muttered innocently causing both Legolas and Strider to send him weird looks.

Theoden however, had a different opinion on the subject. "They will be three hundred leagues from here by now. Éomer cannot help us." He said, and Harry had to keep himself from declaring that his pirates could bring them back before one could say 'mearas'. "I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Whether ye like it or not, king Theoden, open war's upon ye," the green-eyed pirate-captain couldn't keep his mouth shut anymore. "The enemy's man-o-war's within shootin' distance, and it won't help ye any if ye try to sail from 'em, ye'll just get shot in the stern – and often under the waterline. All ye _can_ do is meet it head-on and hope fer the best."

The king of Rohan stood up from his throne. "I _am_ thankful for your help, but when I last looked it was Theoden, not Captain Potter-Sparrow, who was king of Rohan."

Harry took this obvious reprimand the same way he took everything else: without blinking and with the usual pirate-look in his eyes. It was the kind of look which could annoy someone to death, and also which hid his thoughts and feelings better than most people's highly-valued game-faces. Theoden waited for a minute, as if expecting the green-eyed man to reply, but then gave up and stared at the wall.

"And what _is_ the king's decision?" Gandalf asked.

...----------------…

"By order of the King, the city must empty! We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep!" Háma, one of the king's most trusted men, called out to the inhabitants of Edoras. "Do not burden yourself with treasures, take only what provisions you need!"

"Well, the certainly don't waste time around here, do they?" Harry muttered as he followed Gandalf to the stables. With them were Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, and none of them looked particularly happy about the king's decision.

Gimli was muttering and growling like an old badger. "Helm's Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?"

Aragorn shook his head. "He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."

"If the look on Gandallf's face is something to go by, then this isn't one of Theoden's best decisions." Harry quipped as they entered the stables. They were at once met by Fred and George who were running around with other riders trying to get the horses ready for the upcoming trip.

"Hey Harry!" Fred said as he ran by.

"Bye Harry!" George muttered as he hurried off in another direction.

"Two of your men, Master pirate?" Gimli asked, though it was more of a statement.

Harry nodded. "Fred and George Weasley. They're almost as insane as I am, and that's sayin' somethin'. While we're at it, this has been a rather depressing day for me. No unforeseen, insane disasters so far."

"And I pray to the Valar that it remains so, captain," Gandalf growled from further up ahead. "One of those insane disasters of yours is the last thing we need right now! There's no way out of that ravine which they call Helm's Deep, and Theoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he's leading them into safety, but what they'll get is a _massacre_. Theoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan." The old wizard turned suddenly to Aragorn. "He'll need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need _both _of you," he sent a look to Harry. "Their defences _have_ to hold."

"They will hold." Aragorn nodded, sounding more like a king than a Ranger from the north.

Harry nodded as well. "And I'll shorten yer ride for a few miles at least," he said. "I'll just have te send a letter te Severus tellin' him te head towards Helm's Deep or Edoras."

"A letter takes time, Master Potter-Sparrow. Time which we have precious little of." Gandalf replied as he opened the door to a stall. Inside stood the most magnificent white stallion Harry had ever seen.

Instead of gawking at the horse, Harry turned back to the wizard. "Don't worry mate, the letter will reach Severus before nightfall."

Gandalf nodded in acceptance apparently not up for arguing or trying to figure out what Harry meant. He leaned slightly against the horse and sighed heavily. "The grey pilgrim, that's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men I have walked this earth and now I have no time."

"If it's any consolation you look damn good for such an old man!"

The istar snorted and ignored the comment. "With luck my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east." He jumped onto the stallion, not using saddle nor bridle.

Aragorn nodded and held open the stall door. "Go."

"And good luck," Harry added.

Gandalf nodded to them, took a deep breath then gave the signal, and the stallion was off like a shot. The horse tore through the stable forcing people to jump out of the way, ran through Edoras and out across the plains.

"There goes the White Rider," Gimli muttered. "And we are stuck defending people who run from the fight and straight into the trap. They will have us backed into a corner once we reach Helm's Deep, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"People are at their most dangerous when they're desperate," Harry said quietly. There was no humour in his voice, and his eyes seemed to be far away for a second, as if he was reliving some memory. A second later he shook himself out of it, and sent a grin to his three companions. "Well, I better see about that letter."

"How are you going to send it and make sure it arrives before nightfall? By portkey?" Aragorn asked.

Harry shook his head. "For me te use a portkey I have te know where Severus and Éomer are, and I don't."

"Then how do you seek to accomplish your task, captain?" Legolas sounded curious. "I'd like to see it if possible."

"Sure ye can watch. And I'll be usin' Fawkes. The bloody chicken's been lazin' about fer far too long." The green-eyed man replied, and no sooner where the words out of his mouth before said phoenix appeared in a burst of flames and pecked him angrily on the head. "Oi! That hurt!"

Fawkes trilled.

Harry rolled his eyes, discretely conjured pen and paper and started writing the letter. It was short and to the point, and was done a minute later. Fawkes grabbed it and disappeared again in another burst of flames, but not before sending the pirate-captain an angry look. Surprisingly no one else seemed to have noticed the bird appear and disappear, and the three from Middle-Earth signed it off as magic.

"And that's how ye send a hasty letter." Harry smirked.

...----------------…

In Orthanc Saruman was sitting in his study, fiddling with one of the otherworldly medallions, mumbling to himself about fools and Gandalf. He had been sitting there for a while, when Grima Wormtongue walked in.

"You stink of horse," was the first thing the fallen wizard said. "Well? Do you have any news?"

"The man you were trying to break mentally," Wormtongue began, "the green-eyed one. He seems to have either some elf-blood in him, or some magic. During the torture his physical wounds stopped bleeding far too quickly to be normal, and some of the minor ones didn't bleed at all."

Saruman's eyes narrowed. "Another wizard? Radagast cares only for his animals and not for the troubles of men, and Gandalf wasn't there at the time. Could it be one of the two Blue wizards who passed on into the east?" he mumbled to himself. "How old did you say the man looked?"

"No more than his mid thirties at the most."

"Then it couldn't be Alatar or Pallando, all of the istari look like old men. Perhaps a grandson…?" the wizard trailed off again.

Grima thought for a moment before speaking again. "I did notice something on his right wrist, a burn-mark shaped like a 'P'."

Saruman's eyes widened. "What did you say?" he hissed.

"A burn-mark, pale against the man's tan skin, shaped like a 'P'," he looked at the white-clothed man. "Do you know what it means?"

Holding up the golden medallion, Saruman growled. "It means we have unwelcome guests in Middle-Earth."

...----------------…

There, please tell me what you think. Once again I am so sorry for taking so much time before posting this, but school and work has me hogtied – more or less.

What do you say to a chapter containing 'Random Omakes of Insanity' at the end of the story?

Thanks to:

Lunawolf, phoenix catcher, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Circe Visigoth, Goddess Bless, chaser1, Shaddow, JeanieBeanie33, Kaze Sabishii, Fate, Lady Malfoy I, ToushinisKing, Twilight Dusk, Black-Raven3, Shitza, C, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Magical Myth, froggiesrcool, Andine, silverkitcat, Jasson, Meanthis, Slytherin Phoenix 18 and Larail.


	16. Chapter 16

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Author's Note:** Hope you enjoy this chapter as well, and the poem is written by me.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Sixteen**

They were travelling in a long line with soldiers riding to and fro on the side to keep guard. Harry was riding a borrowed horse with James sitting in front of him. The two of them were right behind Éowyn who had actually managed to convince Gimli to ride the horse which Legolas had been given by Éomer. Behind Harry and James rode the king, Aragorn and some guards, whilst Fred, George and Tonks were behind that again.

"It's true, you don't see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance that they're often mistaken for Dwarf men." Gimli was explaining and Harry and James were listening in on the conversation. It was kind of hard to miss since Gimli was talking rather loudly. Éowyn just smiled and sent a curious look behind her. Harry shrugged indicating that he had no idea what the dwarf was babbling about, and the three of them turned to look at Aragorn.

"It's the beards," the Chief of the Dúnedain mouthed and motioned with his hand. Harry and James shared a freaked-out look at this, and turned to watch Gimli clearly wondering if the dwarf was male or female. This sent both Aragorn and Éowyn into a bout of chuckles.

"This in turn has given rise to the belief that there _are_ no dwarf women," the oblivious Gimli continued, "and that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" here the dwarf waved about with his arms. "Which is, of course, ridiculous!" Apparently the horse Gimli was riding didn't like all the arm-waving, and decided to show its displeasure by throwing Gimli off. Éowyn quickly ran to help the fallen dwarf while the people around them chuckled or laughed.

"Nobody panic!" the dwarf declared. "That was deliberate! It was deliberate!"

"Mr Gimli really is funny, isn't he Uncle Harry?" James laughed.

Harry sighed, but grinned. "Oi, Gimli! Where's this famed balance of the dwarves you were telling me about just this morning?"

"Waiting for you to get off that horse so that it can pound you into the ground!" Gimli replied without batting an eyelash. Instead he just grinned up at Harry as the other stopped the horse right beside the dwarf and the young woman. "Well, are you coming down, Master pirate, or do I have to help you?"

Aragorn had reached them by now and shook his head. "Wait with your fight until everything is over, there is no time for you to fight right now."

"Yes, please wait with the fight," Éowyn spoke up. "Lord Aragorn is right, this is neither the time nor the place for a fight between friends."

Harry was about to reply to that with some smart-ass remark, when a commotion from further back caught his attention and he sighed. Tonks, Fred and George were arguing rather loudly upon something or other he didn't bother to find out about. "Will you three stop arguing!"

"But-" Fred and George protested.

"Don't make me reach back there!" the green-eyed pirate threatened.

"Harry, she started it!"

"I don't care who started it, _I'll_ finish it! You can either shut up on your own, or you can be shut up with the keelhauling-method. It's your choice."

Silence greeted them.

…----------------...----------------…

That evening, an hour or so after they had made camp, Éowyn found her way to the place where Aragorn, Harry, Legolas, Gimli, James and some of the other pirates had settled down. She stood there for a minute just staring at the odd sight of Harry, James, Fred, George, Cecil Darling, Tonks and Gimli sitting in a ring around the bonfire, seemingly laughing spontaneously one-by-one at nothing at all.

"What are they doing?" she couldn't help but ask Aragorn.

The Ranger grinned. "They are having an evil-laughter competition."

"Excuse me!"

"They are trying to see which one of them has the most evil laughter compared to the Dark Lord's," Legolas spoke up. "But the competition never gets finished as they keep bursting into genuine laughter after three or four 'evil' laughs."

"Oh." Éowyn didn't really know what to say to that except that all pirates were insane, but that wouldn't be polite of her.

"So far Cecil Darling is in the lead." Aragorn added helpfully. "Is there anything we can help you with, My Lady?" he asked after watching a grumbling Harry declare Cecil Darling the winner of the competition.

"Oh, well I made some stew. It isn't much, but it's hot." The White Lady of Rohan said and scooped a portion of it into a wooden bowl before handing it to Aragorn. "Sir Legolas?"

Legolas smiled. "No thank you My Lady, I have already eaten some lembas." Something Gimli was going to kill him for later, but right now he really, really didn't want to put his life on the risk upon trying the young woman's cooking skills. It didn't look or smell appetizing, two clear signs to stay away.

Éowyn nodded, and turned to Gimli, Harry and James as they sat down beside and opposite Aragorn and Legolas. "Do you want some?"

"Sure," Harry said and held up his and James' wooden bowls. "Thanks!" he said after Éowyn had scooped some of the brew into them, and dug in. James did the same, but his face quickly turned slightly sour at the taste, and the boy forced himself to swallow.

This warned Gimli off, and the dwarf escaped saying he was going to talk to the smith about lending some professional tools to sharpen the dwarf's beloved axe. Never mind the fact that he carried exceptional tools on his person.

"It's good," Aragorn managed to say, but not before sending the happily-eating Harry a look which clearly said that the Ranger thought the pirate had to have a stomach of steel.

"Really?" Éowyn seemed happy at the comment.

"Excellent!" Harry confirmed and swallowed another spoonful. Aragorn and James just nodded and tried not to show exactly what they thought of the brew.

The White Lady of Rohan put the kettle she had been carrying out of the way, and settled down beside Legolas. "My uncle told me a strange thing," she started looking at Aragorn. "He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken."

"King Theoden must have a very good memory," Legolas spoke up. "I believe he was only a small child at the time, right Aragorn?"

Aragorn nodded and discretely dumped the brew from his bowl while Éowyn was focused on the Mirkwood prince. "That's right."

"Then you must be at least sixty." The young woman seemed quite shocked.

The future king of Gondor shook his head.

"Seventy?"

Another shake.

"But you cannot be eighty!"

"Eighty-seven."

Harry blinked at that and stared at the Ranger. "Damn it all! Am I the only one 'round 'ere who actually _looks_ as old as I am!"

Éowyn seemed to recall something. "You are one of the Dúnedain." She said finally. "A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend."

"There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago." Came the reply.

"I am sorry. Please, eat."

After the king's niece left the group, everyone stopped talking and looked at Harry who was eating his second bowl of brew. The green-eyed pirate continued eating for another while before he noticed that everyone was staring at him.

"What?" Harry asked. "Something on my face?"

"No offence to Lady Éowyn, but how can you stomach something like that?" Aragorn demanded.

Harry blinked. "Although something's off with the taste, I think it's a rather good brew. What?" once again everyone was staring.

"You must have an iron-laid stomach and an iron will, captain, to be able to eat that brew," Legolas said.

"Not at all, I'm as normal as they come!" There was a long silence and Harry pouted and muttered something about traitors. "Moving on," the green-eyed man spoke up again, "One should approach love and cooking with reckless abandon, you know. I can stomach this because I've eaten worse."

"Worse?" came the sceptic question from James and Harry nodded. "Where?"

"All the times Norrington actually managed to capture me," the pirate replied. "Oh, and don't forget those bloody Spaniards! Now there's a bunch of sadistic masochists. Then again, Jack isn't the best cook in the world either, nor are the rest of the crew."

"My father?"

"Nope lad, Jacqueline. She's the kind 'o person who burns water. Hey, how about some insanity?"

Aragorn rubbed his temple. "I think we've just had some, but go ahead."

Harry grinned and looked down at his nephew. "This is one o' those that Jack hasn't taught you, so listen up good, aye?" James nodded and Harry promptly declared a silly little pirate-poem:

"_The sea is our world, and the ship is our home,  
The wind is a love who follows us where we roam.  
King Triton will us bring  
In search of many a-golden thing  
To bring to our sweet  
Standing on the shore so neat  
With another man grovelling at her feet._"

…----------------...----------------…

The entire morning the horses had been restless, and the riders had long since learned to trust their animal's instinct and were, consequently, restless as well. The same thing happened with the pirates. They often had a rat or some other animal in a cage aboard the ship, and read the upcoming weather from the behaviour of said animal. Harry himself was riding close to both the king and Aragorn, and his little group of men. This way he was in easy reach if the king needed something, and had ample protection for James if something happened. Legolas was far ahead of the travellers, scouting for trouble with his sharp elven eyes.

Háma and Gamling passed Harry and the others. On Theoden's orders they rode even further ahead than the elf to check the terrain.

"Don't deny it Darling," Tonks was in the process of scolding poor Cecil Darling, very convinced that he was the one who had touched her behind that morning. "Mark my words! Perverts like you always get what's coming to them!" she growled after Darling didn't say anything, and stalked off to walk with Éowyn.

"Don't try denying it anymore, Darling, I saw that you did it." Fred said quietly from the horse he and George were riding double on.

Darling looked around at his fellow pirates. "I didn't deny it!" he protested. "I just didn't admit it." He added as an afterthought.

"Bloody pervert," Harry muttered.

Suddenly there came shouts and growls from up ahead, and Gamling's voice yelling something unidentifiable.

It was followed by Legolas' shout of, "A scout!" to Aragorn who had run ahead.

"What is it? What do you see?" Theoden demanded.

"Wargs! We're under attack!" the Ranger replied. "Get the refugees out of here!"

Harry didn't waste a moment and handed James to Tonks. "Take care of him." He ordered, his pirate-image completely gone and face serious. His voice was the same voice he used to make himself heard across the entire ship in the middle of battle.

Tonks protested. "I want to stay and fight!"

The green-eyed pirate shook his head. "Not this time. This time you're staying here both to help Missy Éowyn lead these people to Helms Deep, and also because I want some magical protection for them. Fred, George, Darling, lets go!"

"All riders to the head of the column!" Theoden's voice rose above the din. "You must lead the people to Helm's Deep, and make haste!" he told Éowyn.

"I can fight!"

"No, you must do this. For me." Theoden rode off. "Follow me!" he shouted.

Éowyn watched as the warriors passed her, and her eyes landed on Aragorn. Their eyes met, but not for long as Aragorn was pulled out of his trance by a shout from Harry. Éowyn shook herself and shouted to the people, "Make for the lower ground! Stay together!"

…----------------...----------------…

Ron sighed as he accepted the first little, child-like creature from the man in front of him. From the descriptions in Harry's letters he could guess they were the creatures known as hobbits. The Rangers of Ithilien had stumbled upon the two hobbits quite by accident whilst getting prepared for a skirmish with the Haradrim column on their way to the Black Gates of Mordor. It had been impossible for him to hinder the capture of the two, and so had resolved to try to help them escape as soon as a chance came up.

Sighing again, the redhead handed the hobbit on to the next man before he received the other, fatter one. After both the hobbits were placed in the improvised room in the Henneth Annûn – better known as the Window of the West – Ron was placed as a guard outside along with fellow pirate and dragon-lover Charlie Weasley.

Ron was about to go into the room and see what could be done about the hobbits, but Charlie shook his head. "Wait," his older brother whispered. "Faramir will be wanting to talk to those two in a minute. Better wait until he is done, less chance of discovery."

Nodding his understanding, Ron stood still. And not much later Faramir himself came around the bend and nodded to the two redheads before going into the room. "My men tell me you are orc spies," they heard the youngest son of the Steward say.

"Spies? Now wait just a minute!" one of the hobbits exclaimed in outrage.

"Well, if you're not spies, then who are you? Speak." Faramir demanded.

"We are Hobbits of the Shire." The other hobbit spoke up. "Frodo Baggins is my name, and this is Samwise Gamgee."

"Your bodyguard?"

"His gardener." There was a slight sneer in the voice of the hobbit now identified as Samwise Gamgee.

Ron didn't hear much of the following conversation. Nor did he notice when Faramir exited the room looking lost in thought. His thoughts were all trying to figure out how the hell the Ringbearer himself had ended up in the clutches of the Ithilien Rangers and so far away from the Fellowship, with nothing else as help but a fat gardener. Harry had sent him a letter with the information that the Fellowship had split up, he recalled, but the green-eyed man hadn't given any orders in case the two hobbits were to cross Ron's path. Nope, Ron was all on his own in this one.

"Bloody hell," the former spy muttered.

"You can say that again," Charlie muttered. The older Weasley shook his head. "Well, now's a good time as any to go in and tell the hobbits there are people here who are willing to help." Ron nodded, composed himself and slipped into the door-less room, and Charlie placed himself straight in the opening in an attempt to hide what was going on inside.

The two hobbits looked up, suspicion written all over their faces.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Samwise Gamgee demanded. "How many times do we have to tell you that we aren't orc spies!"

Ron held his hands up in a placating manner. "Now, now, Master hobbit, don't speak so loud or someone who isn't supposed to will hear us."

"Then who are you?" Frodo asked in a more quite voice.

"Name's Ron Weasley," the redhead replied. "I believe we have a mutual green-eyed acquaintance going by the name Calenglîn?"

Samwise's eyes lit up, but Frodo was still suspicious. "How do we know you're not lying?"

"I only have my word as proof," Ron said. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that if everything goes wrong, that there are people amongst the Rangers that are willing to help you escape so that you might finish your quest."

The two hobbits nodded hesitantly, and the redhead left them with a small smile and a mock salute that they had seen Harry do numerous times. Ron, on the other hand, left Charlie to do the guarding, and instead hurried to where he had stashed his bedroll and the rest of his stuff. He had a letter to write to Harry, and the green-eyed man wasn't going to like the news that the Ringbearer and his companion were captured by Faramir. Nor was he going to like the fact that Frodo was thin as a toothpick with great bags under his eyes. The Ring was certainly not inactive, and that worried him greatly.

…----------------...----------------…

Jack looked up at the skies. He didn't like what the wind had to tell him about the happenings on land. Especially not the happenings in Rohan where his son was. It was all so messed up. Damned Dark Lords and their wish to take over the world.

"Why doesn't someone just tell that damn idiot te keel over and die, and leave the rest o' us in peace?" the elder pirate-captain muttered to himself.

"Not the words I would have used, Master Sparrow, but it does get the point through." Círdan's voice reached his ears. The Shipwright had decided to join the venture after some deliberation. And the elf proved to be a valuable asset as he knew the entire western coastline almost like the back of his hand. "Are you ready to set sail? With some help from your exceptional wind-manipulation we should reach Ethir Anduin, the mouth of the Anduin, in approximately a fortnight."

Jack nodded in agreement. "Unless we receive some news from Harry, we proceed with the plan we currently have. Oi, Gibbs!" he hollered.

"Aye?" the man called back.

"Tell the other four ships we're hoisting sails and geettin' out o' this little improvised port." Jack waved his arms around indicating to the little lagoon they had dropped anchor in for a few days' rest. It wasn't far from the mouth of the Lefnui River according to the map and Círdan. They had taken refuge there because they had spotted the Swan Fleet a few days back, and had decided to stay secret for another while.

"Aye captain," Gibbs replied and hurried off to do as he was told.

"Something bothering you, Master Sparrow?" Círdan asked after a while.

"Just wonderin' what the hell is goin' on in Rohan. The wind's told me some rather worrisome things, and worst o' all is that James is there."

"I am sure that your son will be safe with your nephew, captain."

"He better be or I'll keelhaul Green-Eyes and then stomp on his corpse!"

…----------------...----------------…

Harry sneezed. Someone had to be badmouthing him somewhere. He sighed and shook his head. The battle with the wargs had been disastrous for the warriors of Rohan. They had lost a large part of their already small number of warriors, and worst of it was that Aragorn had decided it was his time to give them a heart attack and had allowed himself to be dragged off the nearby cliff by one of the wargs, and straight into the river at the bottom.

Both Legolas and Gimli looked socked and didn't seem to know what to do. King Theoden spent a second to comfort them, but he had other things to worry about, like getting his wounded warriors to Helms Deep as soon as possible so that they could receive medical help. The other warriors were already gathering weapons and wounded and getting back into the saddle.

Harry sauntered up to the two still figures at the edge of the cliff. "Ye know, people with the hero-complex don't die just because they fall off a small cliff. And that's personal experience talkin', mates." He took off his outer coat, and handed it to Gimli. "Take care o' this fer me, aye?"

The dwarf sputtered. "Wh-what are you thinking about doing, Master pirate? You cannot be seriously considering jumping in after Aragorn?"

"O' course not. If I only follow the river downstream I'll eventually find our dearest _il vero re di_ Gondor. Nope, I'm gonna fly."

"Huh?" was the only response from the dwarf.

Legolas had gathered himself enough to grab Harry's arm right before the pirate jumped off the cliff. "Find him." Was all the elf said.

"I will," Harry nodded. "Tell Theoden I'll arrive at Helms Deep as soon as I can." And with that Harry jumped off the cliff. In midair he turned into his animagus form and flew off aware of the eyes of several people on his back.

'_If ye decided to get yerself killed Aragorn…'_ he didn't finish the thought, just focused his strength on searching for the missing man. _'Don't ye dare to even think 'bout dyin'!'_

…----------------...----------------…

There, rather long chapter this time. Hope you enjoyed it, and please review. Several quotes and situations from several movies, so I don't own those. Just needed some insanity in the chapter.

Thanks to:

Lunawolf, ERMonkey Burner of Cookies, phoenix catcher, Musicstarlover, King Dimension, Hikari Kaiya, S.Malfoy, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Shitza, phoenixfeather6988, candidus-lupus-full Moon, chaser1, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, JeanieBeanie, froggiesrcool, Shaddow, Fate, polabear, Anwen Cerys and Nights Silhouette.


	17. Chapter 17 Interlude

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the long wait and sorry this is so short, but I had one hell of a writer's block with this story, and today I am also going on a three-day excursion with my biology class, so don't expect any updates.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Seventeen - Interlude**

Theoden remembered the first time he had met the green-eyed pirate-captain known as Harry James Potter-Sparrow. That is, met him face to face, the occurrence whilst Theoden himself was still under Saruman's deception and hold really didn't count.

The King of Rohan clearly remembered throwing Grima down the steps of the Meduseld, then Lord Aragorn had stopped him from killing the wretched creature, and people had bowed to him. It was at this point that the old istar had walked up to him and asked him a curious question: "Have you met a green-eyed young man recently?"

Theoden had blinked before replying. "I am sorry, old friend," he noticed the way Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli closed in to listen to the conversation, "-but every recent memory I have is bleak, as if shrouded in thick fog."

Gandalf had sighed heavily. "Hmm, perhaps he was just delayed, or called somewhere else…"

It had been at this point that a little boy of ten years had ran out to them from Meduseld, and had grabbed the wrists of Lord Aragorn and Lord Legolas. The boy was pulling and telling them breathlessly that they had to hurry or it would be too late. Too late for what, none of them knew, but the four travellers had seemed to have an inkling of it – whatever it was – as soon as they had seen the boy.

They had been led to the other side of Meduseld, where the cliff went almost straight down, and there they had encountered a group of Grima's men guarding a barred entrance to what could only be a torture chamber. At least that had been what the elf had said as he covered up his nose.

A few minutes later Theoden finally saw the pirate for the first time, and he felt angry. The young man was hanging from his wrists, the chains secured to a hook in the ceiling. He was bloody and beaten, his black hair was oily, and his overall look was overall a sorry sight. But still, there was a certain air around the man which commanded respect, and Theoden had gladly given it when Éowyn later told him just why the good captain had ended up in a supposedly non-existent torture chamber.

It was a day later that he met the man when he was awake, and he was forced to wonder if that respect hadn't been misplaced.

The King of Rohan could understand that Aragorn had a long life due to his Númenorian blood. He could understand that the elves were immortal, he could even understand that the dwarves preferred their dark and damp underground kingdoms opposed to the free spaces up above, but he simply could not understand how such a man as Captain Potter-Sparrow had ever become the captain of a ship, let alone the captain of this weird quest for these medallions Gandalf mentioned. The man seemed to be permanently drunk, and not only that but he was completely random as well! He could been doing one thing one minute, and then was suddenly doing something completely different the next – and this trait transferred to his speech as well, so half the time Theoden was left trying to decipher what the pirate had said in the first place.

And that was another thing. The man was a pirate, a corsair, and still people like Gandalf and Aragorn seemed to trust him as much as – if not more than – they would ever trust their own mother. It was kind of disconcerting, and Theoden wondered briefly if the pirate wasn't working under Sauron after all, and had cast a spell over all of them. The four members of the Fellowship certainly seemed to have no problems understanding Captain Potter-Sparrow, and that had to be an indication in itself. Perhaps the pirate was using the same trick Saruman had used on himself?

Then there was that weird council they had held, when the two children had brought the distressing news. The speech about ships was one of the more comprehensible things King Theoden had heard the pirate say, and he had been thankful for it as he hadn't had time trying to decipher what the man was talking about at that moment in time. He had stood there as everyone besides Gandalf left the hall, his eyes drawn to the pirate's drunken swagger and found himself wondering if the man wasn't going to keel over in a drunken sleep any moment.

Gandalf had seen the king's eyes follow Harry throughout the meeting, and chuckled at the puzzled expression on Theoden's face. "He is quite the character, is he not?" the istar had asked in amusement.

"I have never met anyone like him," Theoden had replied in total agreement.

"And you probably will never meet someone like him again. There is only one Captain Potter-Sparrow, and he's it." Gandalf had chuckled.

After a moment of contemplation, Theoden had decided to voice his musings to the wizard. "I cannot understand how someone like him could be captain of anything. He is too… too…"

"Insane?"

"Well…"

The wizard had laughed and given the king a friendly pat. "Do not worry, that is what most people think the first time they meet the good Captain Potter-Sparrow. But do not underestimate him, my friend, because such insanity as the pirate displays cannot be achieved without significant intelligence. And Harry does wears his mask exceptionably well, hmm?" with that Gandalf had left him.

And now, here Theoden was, a few days later, and still wondering if his respect and trust in the pirate-captain had been misplaced. He hadn't noticed the green-eyed man disappearing until there suddenly seemed to be one extra rider-less horse, and after confirming that the man hadn't been killed during the attack, and seeing his prized possessions in the arms of Gimli, Theoden had finally demanded where the pirate had disappeared off to and why he hadn't noticed it.

"He went in search of Lord Aragorn," one of his men replied. "And he jumped off the cliff which is probably why My Lord didn't see Lord Harry depart."

Theoden found himself blinking in shocked surprise. "He jumped off the cliff and into the raging river?"

"No, My Lord. He flew."

Well, Theoden reflected, if there was one thing he was certain about when it came to the missing pirate, it was that insanity followed in his footsteps. "He flew?" he repeated slowly and wondered whether the poor soldier hadn't taken one hit too many.

It was at this point that Legolas decided to enter the conversation. "There is nothing to worry about Theoden King," the elven prince said. "Harry has more than one trick up his sleeve."

Great! He could take obscured wisdom from elves, they were notorious for never saying what they meant after all, but this was just getting out of hand. But he supposed that if Lord Legolas really had such faith in the pirate, then there was nothing a poor, confused mortal such as himself could do about it, so he simply sighed and said nothing. "Everyone mount your animals, we're heading straight towards Helm's Deep. Ride double, or triple if need be, just get as many as possible to the keep!" he may not understand matters of magic, but matters of war were his forte, and Theoden locked all thoughts of confusing green-eyed pirates out of his mind as he led his remaining troops towards Helm's Deep.

Insane pirates he could deal with once they finally decided to show up again, with or without Lord Aragorn.

The enormous gates of the fortress of Helm's Deep opened as soon as Theoden and his riders started on the walkway, and the cry rose that King Theoden had finally joined them again. People gathered to greet their ruler, but they didn't hinder the horses from getting through.

"Welcome back, My Lord!" someone shouted.

"What happened, My Lord!" another voice asked.

But the one Theoden was mostly interested in was Éowyn who hurried through the throng of people to greet him, her servant – Dora or whatever her name was – right behind her.

"So few…" the White Lady said quietly. "So few of you have returned…"

"Our people are safe," Theoden told her as he got off his horse. "We have paid for it with many lives," he continued as he helped lower the injured soldier that had been riding with him, and left him in the care of a healer.

The young woman watched as her uncle started organising things, then looked around to see who she knew had fallen during the battle with the orcs. There were a couple of faces she couldn't find, and dread gripped her heart.

"Master Gimli!" Éowyn exclaimed as she spotted the dwarf, a feeling of relief flooding her.

"My Lady," Gimli nodded politely to her.

"Lord Aragorn…" she steeled herself for the question she was about to ask. "Wh-where is he?"

Gimli looked at her for a moment before he replied. "He fell." The dwarf said simply. He had decided that it was better not to bring the young woman's hopes up if Harry returned from his search with only with the sad news that Aragorn was dead.

Éowyn didn't even notice when the dwarf took his leave, nor did she notice the people mulling about. She was shocked and surprised. Aragorn? … dead…? She didn't know what to believe. The Dúnedain had seemed so sturdy, so reliable, always there, and now… Forcefully she shook her head and looked around. She spotted Legolas not too far away, and quickly recognised what the elf was carrying.

Harry's dark green coat was slung over one shoulder, blood making it appear even darker than it really was. The thought of the eccentric pirate captain being gone hit her harder than she ever thought it would.

And James. What was she supposed to tell the boy now?

'_They're gone… both of them… just like Theodred.' _

…----------------...----------------…

There, please tell me what you think.

And I have also acquired a deviantART account. The link can be found in my bio. Please check it out.

Thanks to:

Wynjara, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Allyanna, JeanieBeanie33, SlytherinWicca, phoenixfeather6988, candidus-lupus-full Moon, REM, dark672, zimagesto, Chara13, chaser1, Shaddow, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, shadowphantomness, Shitza, ViolinAngel, lenchen, Sweetest Thang, Black-Raven3, Andine, nabiki, insanechildfanfic, Dragon Rider22, bubblegumgirl, foxychibi, In Shadow Under Darkness, mental.girl.on.sugar, Envyismylove, Twilight Dusk, Cristal Kinomiya Sumeragi, Whispering Darkness, The Insane Blue Rubber Ducky, Slytherin Phoenix 18, Wraith, Aerieth and HeavenSentHellBroken.


	18. Omakes aka Total Insanity

**Rings and Medallions Random Omakes**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Author Note:** And now presenting, from the depths of insanity, the random omake and/or situations where characters rebelled and took over the story completely.

**WARNING:** Weirdness, insanity, countless situations of lets-kill-Cecil-Darling, bad and corny jokes, OOC-ness, scenes and situations borrowed from _Blackadder_ or _The Muppet Show_ and various other sources, and much, much more.

**RANDOM OMAKES OF INSANITY: PART ONE OF…?**

**Chapter One:**

_Scene_: Harry and Bill in the Egyptian tomb

Harry: … even Tonks is having a good time, and she hasn't knocked anything over since that first time.

Bill: **:chuckles:** Well, you nearly did keelhaul her.

Harry: **:grumbles:** She deserved it! She blew a hole in my ship with that attempt at making edible food!

Bill: **:shudders:** S-scary… o.O

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Arrival of the _Raven_ at Hogwarts, and Anamaria hugging Harry.

Harry: Why, Ana, had no idea ye missed me this bad.

Anamaria: **:shakes Harry furiously:** Get me out of here! I can't take this insanity! GET ME OUT!

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ The Great Hall at dinnertime.

Snape: **:mumbles: **Insane pirates.

Harry: Why, thank you Severus! I believe that's the first nice thing you have ever said about me.

Snape: Shut it, Potter.

Harry: It's Potter-Sparrow, I'll have you know.

Snape: Someone shoot me and relieve me of this insanity.

**:THE SOUND OF SEVERAL SHOTS:**

Dumbledore: **:looks at the dead Potion Master:** Really Harry, was that necessary? I'll never find a new and scary Potion Master this close to the start of term.

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Ulmo, Valar of the Sea, and Harry talking in Harry's dream.

Ulmo: You will not be alone in this, the elves of this world already know that you are coming, and they will meet you in the Grey Havens. Lord Elrond of Rivendell and Lady Galadriel of Lothlórien, along with the wizard Gandalf the Grey, will help you out to the best of their abilities.

Harry: How soon do you need us?

Ulmo: As soon as you can come. I bid you farewell, and good luck. **:wades into the water, then stops and turns back:** And one more thing…

Harry: Yes?

Ulmo: Can I have your autograph? You have no idea how jealous the other Valar will be when they find out I have the autograph of _THE_ Harry Potter!

Harry: … **:sweat drop:** …

----------------...----------------

**Chapter Two:**

_Scene:_ Jack receiving Harry's letter.

Jack: Well, lets see what trouble the lad's gotten himself into now… **:opens letter, long list falls out and rolls across the floor:** Teddy bear kidnapping? Taking hostage a squad of wooden English bobby's? Stealing a horse form the Royal Stable? Shrinking the Big Ben and making it into a pocket watch! What the devil is this!

James: **:enters the room:** Ah, good, my Christmas list has arrived! Lets see what Uncle Harry managed to get a hold of!

Jack: o.O

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Harry and Anamaria and Cecil Darling at the registration of new sailors for the mission.

Harry: So, you want ter join the crew?

Cecil Darling: **:nods eagerly:**

Anamaria: And your name is?

Cecil Darling: Darling. Cecil Darling…

Anamaria: I ain't yer darlin', ye bloody pervert! **:continues to beat Darling into a bloody pulp:**

Hermione: Oh my god, Ana! You killed Darling!

Cecil Darling: **:twitch, twitch:**

Anamaria: Blast! He ain't dead yet! **:starts the painful process all over again:**

Harry: NEXT IN LINE!

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Dumbledore signing up for the crew.

Dumbledore: I just wanted to have an adventure. It's been such a long time since the last one. Sherbet lemon?

Anamaria: No, thank you.

Dumbledore: Sherbet Lemon?

Harry: I'll decline.

Dumbledore: … Sherbet Lemon… WHO TOOK MY SHERBET LEMONS!

Fawkes: **:flies off whistling innocently:**

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Fudge and Callahan just having joined the crew of the _Raven_.

Harry: Who the hell told Fudge about this journey anyway?

Anamaria: Dunno.

Harry: Lets just blame Darling and be done with it.

**:BOTH STOMP OFF TO HAPPILY END DARLING'S LIFE AS PAINFULLY AS POSSIBLE:**

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Leaving Hogwarts for the past to pick up Jack and James.

Harry: Man the braces! Hoist the sails! Weigh the anchor-

Jacqueline: We did! Two and a half tonnes!

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Jack and James boarding the _Raven_.

Narrator: There was much joy when Jack and James came aboard the ship…

Fred: I got cabin fever, it's burning in my brain,

George: I've got cabin fever, it's driving me insane.

Percy: **:passing by in a tacky outfit:** We got cabin fever, we're flipping our bandanas,

Fudge: Been stuck at sea so long that we have simply gone bananas

Callahan: Cabin fever has ravaged all aboard,

Snape: This once proud vessel has become a floatin' psycho ward.

Ron: We were sailing, sailing headed to who knows where,

Dumbledore: And now though we're all here we're not all there!

Will Turner: **:turns to Harry:** You sure we boarded the correct ship?

----------------...----------------

**Chapter Three:**

_Scene:_ The meeting between Elrond, Aragorn, Gandalf, Elrohir, Elladan, Círdan, and Harry and Dumbledore.

Narrator: Seeing the confused looks exchanged by the pirate captain and the old mage, and knowing Gandalf's nature for keeping things secret slightly longer than necessary, Elrond decided to take it upon himself to tell the tale.

Elrond: It happened a long time ago. The elves forged a group of magical and powerful rings. _Three Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky…_

**:LONG SILENCE:**

Harry: … er, is there an end to that poem any time soon?

Elladan: **:in Sindarin:** Aren't you going to continue, father?

Elrond: …

Elrohir: **:in Sindarin:** You forgot it, didn't you? You forgot the Ring-poem!

Elrond: **:in Sindarin:** You try living for 3000 years and see what it does to _your_ memory!

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Aboard the Raven, the various groups of pirates getting their destinations and missions before leaving. Harry telling Severus that Anamaria won't be going to Rohan.

Harry: Sorry mate, but I will place her in Lothlórien, if it is acceptable to Lady Garl… Glad… Gral… **:sends a look at Círdan and Aragorn:**

Círdan: The Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn.

Tonks: Where? **:looks around:**

----------------...----------------

**Chapter Four:**

_Scene:_ Harry and Aragorn in the wild choosing a nickname for Harry.

Aragorn: How about 'Calenglîn'?

Harry: Not bad, what does it mean?

Aragorn: It's elvish for 'green glint'.

Harry: It seems as though I'll ne'er get away from the 'green' o' it all. **:starts singing: **_It's not easy being green…_

----------------...----------------

_Scene:_ Still out in the wild, but this time choosing a nickname for Aragorn.

Harry: And what am I supposed to call you? I suppose you don't want the Dark Lord to know that the Heir to the throne of Gondor is still jumping about.

Aragorn: **:thinks for a while:** Well, you could always call me Strider. Or Longshanks. I am best known around Bree under those names. But, then again, you could also call me Estel, Elfstone, Elessar, Wingfoot, Thorongil, Envinyatar, Chiftain of the-

Harry: **:blinks: **Right, call me when yer done **:swaggers off towards Bree:**

----------------...----------------

There, I hope you enjoyed the show – no matter how bad, or insane, it was – and please tell me if you want another chapter of omakes. This is just my little way of telling you I'm so sorry about taking so long with the next chapter – which is, at this stage, somewhere between 'begun' and… well… yeah…

Sorry this is so short, but I didn't want to try making any more insanity at this point in time. I'm tired as hell, and I also need to warm up my insanity-meter before I start on the really heavy stuff again – like writing that chapter…

Please review, even if it isn't a true chapter.

Thanks to:

chaser1, JessicaDupont, Kaaera, Shitza, Angel the Devil's Daughter, JeanieBeanie33, Jo Lizard, dark672, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, phoenixfeather6988, Erebus Fuastus, cadidus-lupus-full Moon, Regina Raptorum, Twilight Dusk, Destiny's Dragon, Dragon Rider22, Unseen Moon, legolasfan91, henriette, Wraith, void star blade, Padfoot's Sidekick, Nights Silhouette, Shinigami Clara, The Insane Imortal Dragon, hermione21, JacobimVonStyluss, ShadowRess, tessa3, Harryrox2004, darthdrew1704, Winter's Touch, LeoDarkWitch, Wolven Spirits,


	19. Chapter 18

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except the obvious insanity, the rest belongs to JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien and Jerry Bruckheimer.

**Author's Note:** I am _SO_ sorry for the long absence, but once again I can only blame it on the Writer's Block. Please forgive me and enjoy the following chapter.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Eighteen:**

Harry had been flying for quite some time, the raging river right underneath him, and was keeping a sharp eye out for any sing of Aragorn – or the guy's body. He was really hoping that the last one didn't happen.

Seeing as he really didn't have much to do except look around, and the fact that he was bored to death, he was constantly mentally singing or humming some song or other. He had just finished with his repertoire of Disney melodies, and had barely started on his Danny Kaye songs, when he spotted a horse in the distance. The animal was heading towards the river, presumably to drink, but instead it stopped by a dark green something on the bank, and Harry recognised the thing at once as Aragorn. Putting on a burst of speed, he soon landed beside the horse and changed back into human shape.

He checked the man's pulse, and sighed happily when he found it beating strongly. "Aragorn! Can you hear me?" Harry said and lightly tapped the Ranger's bearded chin. " 'Ey, mate, anyone at 'ome? _Yodelehoo_!"

No response.

"Look! It's Sauron's flippin' eye of fire, and it's wearin' mascara!"

Nope.

"Saruman's here and he's dancing cancan!"

Not even a twitch.

Harry sighed and scratched the back of his head. The worst thing would be if Aragorn had fallen into a coma, but he refused to believe that, and continued to try to wake the Ranger up, however, nothing worked.

"Éowyn's just passed us and she was nude? Gollum's here and he wants to give you a big kiss for taking the Ring away from hi- no, wait, bad mental image! _Yuck_! _Blergh_! Ok, freaky!" he shuddered.

The horse that had, amazingly enough, stood there the entire time, snorted in contempt at the pirate captain's tries.

"Oh yeah? Ye do it if ye think yer's so good then!"

The animal sent Harry a you're-an-idiot look, and stepped forwards. It's head bent down to Aragorn's face, and the stallion nuzzled him gently.

"What, ye want me te kiss 'im!" Harry demanded. "I'm sorry te disappoint ye, but I'm totally for wome-" his monologue with the horse was interrupted by Aragorn groaning out Arwen's name. Harry's eyebrows rose until they nearly disappeared into his red bandana, and he shot the horse a look full of awe. "I bow to yer greatness, horsie!" he theatrically bowed as much as he could towards the animal, and the horse snorted proudly. It nudged Aragorn gently with it's nuzzle, then looked at its own back.

"Right, ye want me te ride double-saddle with the unconscious guy 'ere – _without_ an actual saddle?"

The horse nodded its head in agreement, and stomped on the ground in a clear message to hurry up.

"As ye wish, horsie." Harry replied. Turning back to Aragorn, he scooped the man up in his arms and with some trouble managed to situate him on the horse – the horse having, thankfully, knelt down to make the operation easier. Once he was sure that Aragorn wouldn't fall off the second he let go of him, the green-eyed man then quickly got up behind the dead weight of the Ranger, and grabbed the horse's mane. "We're ready te go, mate."

The stallion snorted and got to its feet with little trouble, then started walking in a direction Harry could only assume was towards Helm's Deep.

"This is goin' te be borin'," the pirate muttered and made sure Aragorn didn't slide off. " 'Ey, horsie, 'ow about a song?"

The horse snorted in protest and whipped his leg with its tail.

"Just one song!"

Its head shook to and fro in negative.

"Bloody killjoy of an animal! My songs aren't that bad!"

It whinnied.

"They aren't!"

…----------------...----------------…

Aragorn slowly broke through the darkness which had surrounded him, and the first thing he heard was a very familiar voice humming and muttering yet another insane little tune, and he knew at once whom it was. He continued to listen to the song, relaxed and revelling in the knowledge that he hadn't been abandoned, that he was alive, that he was in the company of a totally insane pirate captain. The same captain he considered one of his dearest friends.

"_Down at an English fair, one evening I was there,  
When I heard a showman shouting underneath the flair:  
__I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!  
There they are all standing in a row!  
Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head!  
Give them a twist, a flick of the wrist!  
That's what the showman said.  
I've got a lovely bunch of coco-_" at this point in time Harry stopped singing and cursed violently, and Aragorn opened his eyes and sat up as much as he could.

Down in the valley was a black, seemingly never-ending army of Uruk-Hai, marching in the same direction the two of them were headed. It was divided into nice companies, and each company in rows ten wide and twenty long. The two of them could hear the roars of the horns, of the Uruk's themselves, and the ground shook with the tramping of the countless feet.

"Tha' can't be good, mate," the pirate commented, his arms still firmly secured around the Ranger's chest to keep the weak man from falling off.

"Not good at all," Aragorn agreed tiredly, and allowed himself to lean on his friend.

Harry kicked the horse into gear and they quickly got out of the enormous army's path. "Go back to sleep, Aragorn, you're dead tired. I'll wake ye when we reach Helm's Deep."

"Are you sur-"

"Mate, until ye become the King o' Gondor I am still a higher rank than ye, so listen to me and sleep. If ye don't I'll consider it as mutiny, and I'll be forced to maroon ye on some godforsaken spit o' land – which, in turn, will not make for a very 'appy Middle Earth."

Aragorn chuckled weakly and relaxed again. "Hannon le, mellon nin." (_Thank you, my friend.)_

"Buion na 'ell, mellon nin. Losto mae," (_I serve with joy, my friend. Sleep well._) came the quiet reply from the pirate, but before Aragorn could ask where the hell Harry had learned to speak Elvish so well – and why he hadn't done so before – he fell into a deep, resting sleep, the smooth gallop of the horse making it very easy to let go of any and all worries. Besides, Aragorn knew he was completely safe with Harry watching over him.

The pirate in question sighed, tightened his hold on the sleeper, and whispered for the horse to go as fast as it could for as long as it could. He knew they had to reach Helm's Deep before the Uruk-Hai, and also give Théoden time enough to secure the fort for the upcoming battle.

'_We have until dusk at the most, and since the army seems to come from the direction of Orthanc, I think we might expect some of Saruman's sorcery as well during the fight.'_ Green eyes narrowed in determination. _'If the guy thinks that we're jus' goin' te roll over and let 'im walk all over us, 'e's got 'nother thin' comin'!'_

"Run with all your might, horsie." He whispered. "We need all the time we can get."

The stallion picked up the pace, pushing itself to the brink of exhaustion to get his two riders to Helm's Deep as soon as he could.

…----------------...----------------…

Jack Sparrow was _not_ a happy camper. The wind was telling him of an upcoming battle between these modified orc-thingies, these Uruk-Hai – new, upgraded version on sale today complete with a manual! Buy now! – and the Rohirrim at a place called Helm's Deep. It also told him that James was currently at the fortress which was going to be under attack soon.

Although he wanted to simply take the _Raven_ and use his gifts of elemental manipulation to sail straight to Helm's Deep to help Rohan out, he couldn't and had to stick to the original plan.

He hated it.

"It will be alright, Captain Sparrow," Círdan said as he stepped up beside the helm. "Ignore what the wind is telling you, and concentrate on the task up ahead of us. You will know soon enough what happened, there is no need to worry over it."

"Ignorance is bliss, huh?" Jack muttered, and managed to send a small smile to the elf. "You're right, o' course, but 'tis still difficult – especially knowing that me son is out there."

The Shipwright nodded in understanding, but didn't say anything else on that subject. Instead, he tried to take the pirate's attention away from what was happening inland, and to what was happening out on the sea. "Has the elements told you just how far away the accursed Black Ships are? Do you know what happened to the Swan Fleet?"

Jack concentrated for a while before he spoke. "We will reach the end of the convoy of the Harad fleet of ships in approximately a week's time – if no other order comes from Harry. The Swan Fleet has been mostly disbanded, most men having been sent to Gondor."

"And the few ships that remain?"

"They are patrolling the coastline of Gondor and Dol Amroth, and keeping watch over the Anduin. Currently they have headed southwards, along Harad's coastline. They'll meet up with the Black Ships in to days time, and are heavily outnumbered. Stupid blighters, they went straight into the lion's den." The old pirate sighed. "No happy news from any part of the world. Then again, I suppose it's as they say: it is always darkest before the dawn, huh?"

Círdan nodded gravely, "I, however, fear that we haven't seen the darkest part of the night yet, we are merely at dusk still."

"I was afraid ye were goin' te say that."

…----------------...----------------…

"Aragorn! Aragorn! Wake up, mate, we've reached Helm's Deep!" Harry called to the sleeping man and untangled one hand from the horse's mane, and gently slapped the Ranger's cheek. "Get up, ye bloody blackheart, yer 'eavier than an anchor!"

Aragorn groaned and rubbed his eyes free of crust. He blinked and looked ahead, and smiled as he gazed upon Helm's Deep. "We're here!"

"Didn't I just say that?" the green-eyed pirate mock-wondered and let the horse reduce its speed until it was trotting calmly again. It took them up the stone walkway to the heavy doors made of tick planks of wood. Shouts from the guards above them rang out, and were echoed from within the fortress. The duo didn't have to wait long before the gates were pulled open, and they were let through. People gazed at them in awe and made way for the advancing horse, making their progress fast and efficient.

"He's alive!" A woman cried.

"They are both alive!" another echoed.

"But how?" a guard wondered, a bandage tied around his head. "I saw Lord Aragorn fall into the river! No normal man should've been able to survive something like that!"

"Don't you know?" his buddy whispered. "The say that Lord Calenglîn came from the Grey Havens, and even further away – from the _West_!"

The whispers continued all the way to the inner keep. As soon as the horse stopped, a young soldier came running and kept it steady by giving it food and water. Harry and Aragorn got off, one helping the other, and headed towards the doorway into the keep itself, sure that they would find Théoden there, along with their friends.

They hadn't gotten far before the telltale grumbling of a certain dwarf reached them a short while before the dwarf himself pushed his way through the throng. "Where is he? Where are _they_? Get out of the way! I'm going to kill them!" Gimli appeared in front of them, his helmet and armour missing, and he gazed up at the two humans. "You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless men I ever knew. Bless you lads!" he sniffed as he hugged them both. "Between the two of you, we are going to be sent to early graves!"

Aragorn grinned and patted the dwarf's shoulder with one hand, the other arm being swung around Harry's shoulders for support. "Gimli, where is the king?" he asked to keep the dwarf from breaking down entirely.

Gimli nodded towards the doorway they'd been heading to, and grinned widely as he moved along with them.

Just before they got there, they met up with Legolas who stared at Aragorn for a moment before declaring that the Ranger was late.

"You look terrible," the Mirkwood elf added, a long-absent twinkle of mischief entering his eyes. Harry and Gimli laughed while Aragorn chuckled happily. "Your coat and effects are inside with the king, Harry – and there is something there for you as well, Aragorn." Legolas continued and walked with them.

"Oh?" Aragorn looked at the elf curiously.

"You'll see." Gimli replied as he nearly skipped along. He and Legolas opened the large doors and Théoden and Gamling looked up, their jaws dropping open in surprise.

"Here it is." Legolas pointed to a table just by the doorway, and on top of Harry's neatly folded coat laid his compass, his pistol, and a beautiful necklace made of mithril. It shone with an otherworldly light, and the glow attracted one's attention at once.

"The Evenstar…" the Ranger whispered, his hand going up to his neck. He hadn't even noticed that it was missing. At once he swooped down, picked it up and put it on with the help of Legolas whilst Harry was holding him steady.

The quartet then turned towards the King of Rohan.

"Lord Aragorn! It makes my heart glad to see you again, and so well!" the king exclaimed, his face lighting up in a smile. The smile didn't last long. "What's wrong?"

Harry decided to speak up. "Nothin' good I'm afraid, mate. On our way 'ere we ran across a large army of Uruk-Hai."

Gimli cursed and Legolas muttered something under his breath at the news. Gamling's eyes grew wide, and Théoden stiffened.

"A great host, you say?" Théoden repeated as if he couldn't believe it.

"All of Isengard is emptied." Aragorn replied.

The King of Rohan sighed heavily and started to pace. "How many?"

"Ten thousand strong – at the very least." Harry said and Gimli cursed once again. Legolas put a hand on the dwarf's shoulder to shut him up, but the elf looked on the verge of cursing himself.

"Ten thousand!"

"It is an army bred for a single purpose: To destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."

Théoden paced furiously for a moment, then stopped and gazed at the others in the hall with a determined look in his suddenly hard eyes. "Let them come!" he hurried outside and gazed out over the fortress. "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall. We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping wall, or set foot inside the Hornburg!"

"Your army has, so that statement can't be totally true." Harry commented, but they didn't seem to hear him.

Gimli spoke up as they followed the king along the fortress walls. "This is no rabble of mindless Orcs. These are Uruk-Hai. Their armour is thick and their shields broad."

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep." Théoden snapped back and walked on.

The green-eyed pirate sighed. "You've got te 'ate it when they become stubborn – especially in these kinds o' situations."

Aragorn had heard Harry's first comment, and it made him worry for some unexplainable reason. Having been raised to listen to his instincts, he tried to make Théoden realise what Gandalf had tried to tell him days ago: that Helm's Deep was a death trap if they stayed. They still had time to get away if they moved quickly, and find a more defensive spot. "They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages! They come to destroy its people, down to the last child."

Théoden whirled and grabbed the Ranger's shirt. "What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." He tried again.

"And who will come?" the king scoffed. "Elves? Dwarves? _Pirates_? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead, and some should never have been made."

Harry clammed up at that, his face turning into an emotionless mask, his green eyes dark and stormy. Gimli growled, and Legolas frowned slightly in displeasure at the comment.

Aragorn, sensing that this wasn't going too well, said the first thing that fell into his head. "Gondor! Gondor will answer!"

"_Gondor_! Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us! Where was Gon-? No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone." Théoden shot him down again, then stalked further around the keep shouting out orders for the women and children to get into the caves.

"We need more time to lay provisions for-" Gamling was heard saying before he was out of range.

King Théoden's reply was loud and clearly heard. "There is no time. War is upon us!"

Aragorn sighed and leaned against the outer wall of the fortress. "I am sorry for this, my friends," he said to the other three. "I wish I could apologise for the king, but it is not my place to do so."

Legolas nodded in understanding. "We know, mellon nin, do not trouble yourself over it. Let us rather prepare for the battle, and give aid where we may."

Gimli grumbled. "Well, I suppose I should head down to the armoury in the keep, and see what can be done about the weapons. You three come down later to get yourself something extra, alright?" he nodded to them and disappeared in the throng of people.

"We will need as many arrows as possible," Aragorn said and Legolas disappeared to take care of this task. The Ranger turned to the silent pirate. "And you, my friend. What are you going to do?"

Harry sighed. "Although I didn't like Théoden's comment, I can't sit idle." He rubbed his face tiredly. "I'll go over the keep and place a few magical wards here and there – the doors and some other weak points I've noticed – otherwise there isn't much more I can do."

"It is more than anyone of us can do." Came the reply. "I must confess I was afraid for a moment that the king's comment would've driven you away."

The green-eyed man managed a smirk. "Ye ain't gettin' rid of me that easily, mate! Yer stuck with me now!"

Aragorn smiled. "I thank the Valar for that. I'm glad you're with us, Harry."

"Yer friendly neighbourhood pirate at yer service!" he bowed with a flourish.

"Yes, and while you're at my service I'm going to ask you one thing."

"Ask and ye shall receive."

"How in Elbereth's name did you learn Elvish? You never knew any until today!"

Harry's smirk turned real instead of forced. "I never gave any indication for either knowing or not knowing the Elvish language, you simply _assumed_ that I didn't know it." He started whistling cheerfully and wandered off towards the main gates.

Aragorn stood there for a moment, feeling like a complete fool. He was remembering all those times in Rivendell when he'd had to – i.e. been forced to – translate something or other for the pirate captain, whether it was a passage in a book (often a very long passage) or a conversation with an elf.

It dawned on him that he'd been royally conned.

"HARRY!" he roared and ran after the green-eyed pirate.

…----------------...----------------…

There, that's done! Please tell me what you think!

Thanks to those who reviewed the Omake-chapter. I'm glad you liked it. I'll perhaps put up another one if I gather up enough insanity.

Thanks to:

Nights Silhouette, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Kaaera, candidus-lupus-full Moon, simpleinsanity, Padfoot's Sidekick, chaser1, JeanieBeanie33, Wynjara, anonymous, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Knives, waterlily16, Vash2004, kumoku, Moon-Freak00, Zars, Adnexus, Daegon and Dragon Rider22.


	20. Chapter 19

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien.

**Author's Note:** I am sorry for the delay. In this chapter I've been going a bit more with the books than what I've done in latter chapters, and I hope you enjoy it! On a happier note: my knee's gotten much better and can actually sit by a normal table now! YAY!

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Nineteen**

All the women and children under seven were to move into the Aglarond, the Glittering Caves, that existed underneath the great fortress. Gimli had been down there himself – he hadn't been able to resist – and then had dragged both Harry and Legolas down, Legolas because the two were friends and Harry because he thought he had a kindred spirit in the pirate who loved everything that glittered. The elf and the pirate agreed that yes, the Caves were very impressive with their stalagmites and stalactites, but they preferred the open spaces above thank you very much.

"This is more to my liking," the dwarf said and stamped happily on the rock. "My heart always raises itself when we are near – or on – mountains, and there is good rock here, very good rock! This country has tough bones, I felt them in my feet as we came up the causeway. Give me a year and a hundred of my kin and I would make this a place that no army could penetrate!"

"I do not doubt it," Legolas said. "But you are a dwarf, and dwarves are strange folk, methinks. I do not like this place, nor what is to come to pass here – though I have already agreed that the Glittering Caves are great indeed."

"I agree with both of you," Harry said, "though my heart still belongs to the sea, and always will. One thing I have learned here is to always have a couple of cannons with me at all times. If we had some now then this wouldn't have been half as bad, and children wouldn't have had to fight."

The blond elf smiled. "You comfort me, both of you, and I'm glad to have you both standing near me. I wish there was more of your kin amongst us, Gimli, and more of yours as well, Harry. But even more would I give for a hundred good archers of Mirkwood, for I fear that we shall need them. The Rohirrim have good bowmen after their fashion, but there are too few here, too few."

Gimli grunted as he pushed his way through the throng of people. "By the time the Uruk-hai get here it'll be too dark for archery."

"Not for the elves." Harry replied with a grin. "And I might have something up my sleeve as well."

The dwarf made a grimace behind his beard. "_Pah_! Pirating wizards and elven princelings from far-off wooden kingdoms I shall never understand!" Harry and Legolas laughed at that remark, and even Gimli himself grinned, happy that he had made them both laugh in such a dark time.

As they were exiting the caves – and trying to avoid being trampled by the throng going into them – Legolas with his superior hearing heard James calling for them, and led the other two over to one of the sides. Tonks stood there making sure that no one trampled the boy and also that everything went as it was supposed to.

James – who hadn't been told about Harry's search for Aragorn – hadn't even known that his favourite uncle had been gone at all. And now he was giddily waiting for his uncle to reach him, before he spoke. "Guess what, Uncle Harry!" James jumped up and down eagerly. "I'll be allowed to fight in the battle! The soldiers said that every boy seven and above should go down to the armoury to get fitted with armour and a weapon! Will you come with me?"

Harry had frozen up at hearing this. _James_? In the middle of a great, dangerous, _lethal_ battle? Not only would Jack kill him if he ever allowed that, but so would the Turners and Harry would, quite probably, kill himself. Therefore he nearly roared, "Over my dead body! You aren't even going to be here when that time comes!" and with that he grabbed one of the beads from his hair, turned it into a portkey and gave it to James. A _pop_ later and the boy was gone off back to Rivendell. None really showed any surprise at this, Tonks was a witch and had grown up with it, and Legolas and Gimli were starting to get used to it.

"Bloody idiots, letting children join the battle… Right, Morphy," Harry grumbled then turned to the woman in question. "Before ye even ask: no, yer not going to be fighting in this battle."

"_WHAT_!" she yelled angrily. "Why not!"

"If the Uruk-hai break through, then you're going to be our last line of defence, Lady Dora," Gimli pointed out logically.

Tonks couldn't argue with that. She sighed. "Right, then I'm off to make sure the caves are secure. The password shall be 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'." She then disappeared in the throng of people.

Harry sighed. "I really wish we could avoid all this."

"I believe that everyone here agrees, Captain Potter-Sparrow," Legolas agreed. "But could you not magic them away like you did with young James?"

"I wouldn't have the time to make enough portkeys for all of us," Harry replied as they started moving again. "Besides, I don't think that King Théoden would appreciate if his people suddenly started appearing all over in the elven realms of Middle Earth seeing as Edoras isn't safe anymore. Come to think of it, neither would the elves appreciate it."

"Move back! Move to the caves! Come on, people! Quickly, now!" a soldier was shouting from the middle of the thrown of women and children.

Aragorn suddenly appeared beside them. He looked even worse than before, which said something considering he had taken a large drop into a raging river, then been carried for miles before ending up on a muddy bank. "Hello my frie-" he was forced to cut off what he was about to say in favour of a great yawn.

Legolas looked on worriedly. "Aragorn, you must rest!" he insisted. "You're no use to us half alive."

"When a being many, many times older than you tell you to do something, you listen." Gimli added. "Especially if it's a princeling."

"I do not have the time for rest." The Ranger replied and shook his head as if that would help to keep him awake. "We'll place the reserves along the wall. They can support the archers from above the gate." He pointed as he spoke, then yawned again.

"You definitely need rest, mate."

"But-"

"No 'buts'! Rest! _Now_!" the pirate pointed towards the tower in the Hornburg. The lowest room was made into a meeting room –where they had found Théoden and Gamling earlier that day – but the rooms above were used for sleeping chambers, and several were occupied by soldiers who wanted to be rested for the battle that night. There was also a staircase which wound even further up until it came out on the top of the tower where the great Horn of Helm Hammerhand stood, ready to be blown.

"But-" Aragorn tried again.

"Don't make me pull ranks again, mate!" Harry threatened, his eyes narrowed, and poked the Ranger in the chest. "Or better yet, I'll force ye into sleep!"

Aragorn looked to Legolas and Gimli for help, but the two of them simply sent him the same look – complete with the raising of their right eyebrow. It was kind of freaky to watch. "Alright, alright, I'll go-"

"My lord! Aragorn!"

The three of them looked around until they spotted the White Lady of Rohan come running towards them.

" 'Ello luv!" Harry greeted her, whilst Legolas and Gimli simply nodded.

Éowyn ignored them completely. "I'm to be sent with the women into the caves." She said to Aragorn.

The Ranger looked suddenly a wee bit uncomfortable. "That is an honourable charge."

"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?" she demanded.

"To do nothing is sometimes the most difficult thing of all." Legolas offered as advice. "My lady, a time may come for valour without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defence?"

"Let me stand at your side!" Éowyn was obviously not going to let it go that easily.

"It is not in my power to command it." Aragorn replied trying to make her feel better.

"Neither is it ours." Gimli added and mentioned towards himself and the elf and the pirate.

Harry nodded. "If ye want to join the battle, ye'll 'ave to speak with yer Uncle Théoden."

The young woman nearly chocked as she tried to keep herself in check. "You do not command the others to stay!" she nodded towards Harry, Legolas and Gimli. "They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you!" here she gasped as she realised what she had said. "I'm sorry." She said and quickly ran into the Caves.

The four of them stood there for a while, wondering if what they'd heard was really what Éowyn wanted to say or if they'd just heard wrong. Not even Harry commented. All he could see coming from this situation was that Éowyn's heart would be broken, Aragorn and Arwen had been sweethearts longer than the White Lady of Rohan had been alive, and they weren't about to give that up just like that.

Shaking his head from such thinking, Harry concentrated on the situation at hand. "What are ye still doin' 'ere, mate?" he demanded of Aragorn. "I told ye te go sleep it all off, if not fer yerself then fer Arwen. _Shoo_!" he mentioned towards the tower.

Seeing that he was completely outnumbered, Aragorn simply sighed and started trekking towards the tower. He knew he would have no chance of stealing away, Legolas would spot him at once. But sleep did sound wonderful at the moment, so he supposed he could lay down for half-an-hour or so.

"And that's how ye send an unwilling Ranger to bed without supper." The green-eyed pirate smirked slightly.

"If only Lord Elrond had known that when Estel was young." Legolas remarked with a small smile himself.

Harry and Gimli chuckled and the three friends separated after that, each going to help the Rohirrim at different places of the keep, or even to catch a bit of shut-eye themselves. Now there was little else they could do but wait.

-x-x-x-x-

Men of that land called it Helm's Deep, after a hero of old wars who had made his refuge there. Ever steeper and narrower it wound inward from the north under the shadow of the Thrihyrne, till the crow-haunted cliffs rose like mighty towers on either side, shutting out the light. At Helm's Gate, before the mouth of the Deep, there was a heel of rock thrust outward by the northern cliff. There upon its spur stood high walls of ancient stone, and within them was a lofty tower. Men said that in the far-off days of the glory of Gondor the sea-kings had built here this fortress with the hands of giants. The Hornburg it was called, for a trumpet sounded upon the tower echoed in the Deep behind, as if armies long-forgotten were issuing to war from caves beneath the hills.

Either way, Harry was currently walking throughout the keep searching for either the king or one of the councillors. He found Gamling in the meeting room of the tower. The elder man was going over some last-minute details, hanging over a map and wondering if he had forgotten anything of importance.

" 'Ello." The pirate greeted as he neared. "How's it going?"

Gamling looked up, a frown on his face. "Terrible, but that is to be expected under these circumstances." He looked back to the map over the keep, and put his finger on one spot of the great wall. "What you told me earlier about the Deeping Stream and it going through the wall worries me, Master Sparrow. I have never considered it much until now, but I do suppose that it could be seen as a weakness in the Deeping Wall."

"There's not much we can do about it now, besides I've put up a couple of wards so unless the Uruk-hai have explosives we should be pretty safe."

"We can only hope so."

"By the way, where's the king?" Harry asked curiously. "I haven't seen him around since midday."

"Asleep," Gamling replied. "He's in the same chamber as Lord Aragorn. We could all use some sleep afore it starts. Would only that Lord Erkenbrand were here!"

"Erkenbrand?"

"Aye, Lord Erkenbrand is the chief lord of the West-mark now that Prince Théodred is gone, and Helm's Deep is within his command. He is the one charged with keeping the fortress in repairs for just these kinds of situations."

"Where is he then?"

"At the Fords of Isen keeping guard along with another Marshal of the Mark, Grimbold. But we cannot wait for any help from them, they have just as much to do as we will have soon." Gamling sighed, then focused on Harry. "But why aren't you in your armour, My Lord?"

Harry shrugged. "Never used it before, and probably won't need it either."

"Won't need it? My Lord, I know wizards are a strange people, but please go down to the armoury and put on at least a suit of chain-mail if nothing else. We have more of those than fightable men, and can spare one for you. And whilst you do that, I shall go to wake the king, for the enemy is nigh and it is time to prepare." Gamling gave a short bow then disappeared up the staircase.

Harry blinked after the elder man, then shrugged and began to make his way down to the armoury. On the way he ran into several others on their way down, and amongst them he found Gimli. Together the two of them went down, then stood off to the side with Legolas and watched as the Rohirrim came down to get armour and weapons, all three of them going grim at what they saw.

"Farmers and stable boys. These are no soldiers." Harry muttered sadly as he watched a boy about James' age accept a sword and shield, then make his way out of the armoury.

"Most have seen too many winters, or too few." Gimli sighed. "It makes my heart heavy despite the mountains that surround us."

"Look at them. They're frightened. You can see it in their eyes." Legolas said as he looked around.

As if they had heard him, the soldiers stopped what they were doing and everyone turned towards the blond elf.

"Boe a hyn neled herain… dan caer menig." (_And they should be… three hundred against ten thousand!_) The Prince of Mirkwood continued.

Harry took in the hopeless faces around them uncomfortably. It was as if they had understood every single word the elf had said, even though they thought elves to be myths. He turned back to Legolas. "Si, beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras." (_They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras._) He pointed out trying to stay calm, and Gimli's eyes widened in surprise at the fact that he spoke elvish.

If Legolas was surprised to receive an answer in his native language, he hid it well. "Harry, nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer!" (_They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!_)

Harry blinked in surprise. "Alright, now yer just bein' depressive, mate! Now, if ye'd excuse me there's a Ranger that need te be waken up otherwise 'e'll miss the biggest battle of this century." He left the armoury quickly. He heard Gimli mutter something to Legolas, and the activity in the armoury picked up again. The green-eyed pirate continued on his way, being slightly shocked by Legolas' surprising mood swing.

'_Well, I suppose that everyone can get stressed out now an again.'_ He concluded as he entered the Hornburg and made his way to Aragorn's chamber. He knocked on the door and entered, only to find the Ranger already strapping on his weapons. "Had a nice rest, mate?"

Aragorn nodded gratefully. "I did, and I thank you for making me get some rest. However, I do hope you realise that once this is over I will take revenge, right?"

Harry simply grinned. "Just bring it on! However, unless ye become an admiral or a king, there isn't much ye can do!"

"Do not underestimate the Chief of the Dúnedain." The Ranger simply said, his eyes glittering mischievously.

-x-x-x-x-

Later, when night had fallen and the enemy's torches could be seen in the distance, Harry finally found the time to go back into the armoury to get himself a chain-mail, and also to get a couple of extra knives if he could find them. He found Aragorn down there already, and also Gimli was there. The dwarf was rooting through the chain-mails searching for one that would fit him, and Harry simply grabbed one of the chain-mails on the floor that the dwarf had abandoned. He pulled off his coat and weapons, put on the chain-mail then fastened his belt on, and lastly donned the coat again. He was about to go to where Aragorn was to ask for extra weapons, when a couple of knives were held up in front of him.

Harry turned, and came face to face with Legolas.

"I'm sorry." The elf said simply.

The pirate blinked, then grinned. "Nothing te forgive, mate," he replied as he accepted the knives.

Aragorn smiled. "Good to know everything is alright between you two. The last thing we would need now was dispute between allies."

"That wasn't a dispute, but a misunderstanding." Harry told him. "There's a difference between those two."

Legolas opened his mouth to say something, but a grunt from Gimli made them all turn towards the dwarf. Gimli had gotten rid of his own armour whilst they had been talking, and had pulled on a chain-mail shirt, but held it rolled up under his armpits.

"If we had the time, I'd get this adjusted." The dwarf told them, then let go of the chain-mail and it rolled down until a great deal of it was dragging on the floor. "It's a little tight across the chest." Gimli waved with his arms that were completely covered by the sleeves of the chain-mail, and the three taller folk simply smiled in amusement.

Then there was suddenly a wonderful sound in the air. It sounded so much like phoenix-song that Harry for a moment thought it was before he remembered that Fawkes was still with Severus and Éomer wherever those two were. It was an uplifting sound, full of hope and the four of them just stood there for a moment before the sound came again, and Legolas grinned.

"That is no orc-horn!" the elf exclaimed happily as he ran up the stairs from the armoury, quickly followed by Aragorn.

Harry was about to comment on this to Gimli, when he suddenly heard a sound he hadn't heard in what seemed like ages. A sharp, shrill sound rang through the air, and he recognised it at once: a ship's whistle. This made him run out of the armoury as well, leaving poor Gimli behind all alone.

Once he reached the top, it didn't take long for Harry to find out what was going on. The gates of Helm's Deep were open and through them came rows upon rows of elves. The leaf-shaped spike on their helmets which stuck out form under the cloak that covered everything else, glittered in the weak torch-light. The only other thing that could be seen was the impressive silvery bows of Lothlórien, and a couple of the elves carried banners, otherwise they were completely covered by their blue cloaks. And not only that, but once the elves were done pouring in through the gate, then there came all the wizards that had been in Lothlórien. They were also dressed for battle, all of them wearing the standard black duelling-robes with silver designs at the hems. The smiths of Lothlórien had clearly not been idle as each of the wizards wore a few pieces of armour fitted to their needs, and also cloaks of the greenish-blue colour of the sea. Two of them also carried banners, one with the official auror-crest and the other was adorned with a black ship. At the head of the procession came none other than Haldir and Jacqueline, each of them dressed in a way that marked them different from the others of their groups.

"How is this possible?" Théoden wondered, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Just earlier that day he had said that the old alliances were dead, that no elves or pirates would come even if they had called for them, and yet here came more help than he could have ever hoped for and he found himself eating his own words.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell." Haldir spoke up with a small smile. "An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honour that allegiance."

"Something along those lines, yes," Jacqueline agreed with a nod, then she spotted Harry on the stairs. "HARRY!" she exclaimed, and that seemed to be the signal for the wizards as they quickly dispersed and started to cover the battlements of Helm's Deep.

Harry grinned and hurried down to his goddaughter, and hugged her. "Though I would've liked for you to keep away from this, it's excellent to see you. And you too, mate," he added to Haldir once the elf was done greeting Aragorn and Legolas.

"You too, Captain Potter-Sparrow," the Marchwarden replied. "If it hadn't been for your men, then we would never have come here before the Uruk-hai."

"Oh shush!" Jacqueline swatted the elf on his armoured shoulder. "If it wasn't for your Lady, then _we_ would even have known what was going on. And if it weren't for you and your map, then we wouldn't know where to go!"

"How about we simply head off the argument now by saying that each part did their fair share of the work?" Haldir suggested.

"Yeah, okay," the young woman agreed eagerly and smiled up at him.

Harry and everyone else blinked in surprise. At this point Haldir ordered his elves to take the entire right quarter of the keep – which was where also most of the wizards were stationed – so that the Rohirrim could form a denser line of defence over the gate and the left part of the keep, which was smaller. A section of both wizards and elves were placed on the ground behind the wall as backup. Then Haldir and Jacqueline quickly climbed the stairs to the right quarter, placing themselves side-by-side in the middle of the wall.

Théoden still seemed quite shocked at the fact that they had gotten help, and also at the effectiveness that both pirates and elves had just displayed, but he managed to put himself together enough to order his men to gather on the left side and get ready. He didn't even look at Aragorn, Legolas and Harry, and they couldn't tell whether he was shameful of his earlier statement or not. The king simply walked away after giving the order to shut and secure the gates again.

Harry, Aragorn and Legolas were left standing on the stairs, two of them feeling very glad for the unexpected arrivals, and the last one mulling over a new mystery.

Finally the green-eyed pirate simply shook himself, then went to take his own position, but he kept a sharp eye at Haldir and Jacqueline who were leaning close together, whispering about something or other. Those two were awfully chummy, especially with a ten-thousand-strong Uruk-hai army marching in their direction, hell-bent on bringing doom to the world of men.

'_Well, it seems as though Anamaria will have to cough up those 50 galleons she owes me after all, though I wonder what Elizabeth, Will and Bootstrap, the future in-laws, will say when the news are broken to them.'_ A grin spread across his face, and he chuckled slightly evilly. _'Oooh, I've just _got_ to be there when that happens!'_

-x-x-x-x-

There, done. Please tell me if you liked it!

The conversation between Harry and Legolas in the armoury which should've been between Aragorn and Legolas, well, all I can say is: I just couldn't resist, mate. And a warning to you all! More things are going to be totally and utterly messed up by the time I'm done with this story, if it wasn't obvious already.

Most of you wondered where Harry picked up elvish. Well, he did ask Aragorn to translate various conversations and passages from books for him, so he picked up something there. He also spent quite some time with the elves of Rivendell and a bit in Lothlórien as well, and that's al I'm going to say on this matter.

Thanks to:

chaser1, Adnexus, dragon rider22, Nights Silhouette, JeanieBeanie33, Zarz, VB, Angel the Devil's Daughter, Black-Raven3, Jesp-R, candidus-lupus-full Moon, Wolven Spirits, shaylateii, Moon-Freak00, Andine, Lady Tenebrae, zi ma gesto, dark672, Twilight Dusk, Kaaera, gwynhefar, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Serena, polabear, arsenic-graffiti, Morrolan, Lasgalenya Greenleaves, The Insane Imortal Dragon, shadowknight57, Lady Malfoy I, XinnLajgin, alchemist phill, Fate, Salena Snape, nikki, lily, Padfoot's Sidekick, Nemi Jade, Kongzilla, and Woot.


	21. Chapter 20

**Rings and Medallions**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the usual, the rest belongs to JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, and Disney.

**Author's Note: **Wow. It's been a really long time, hasn't it? Don't worry, though, I'm never going to abandon this fic, I just need time to recuperate and come up with new ideas. Yeah. Either way, please enjoy the following chapter.

Thanks to my good friend and beta, Paladin Steelbreaker.

**Chapter Twenty**

The time before the battle was spent with last-minute reorganising and checkups, and Harry had spent it walking to and fro along the Deeping Wall checking on his spells to make sure that they still held. The pirate was still rather worried about the small hole that led the Deeping Stream out of the fortress, and had therefore placed most of the wizards in that vicinity since they had the most chance of success to deal with something. Now the green-eyed man was standing approximately at the middle of the wall, surrounded by elves at all sides, and not too far from Jacqueline and Haldir.

"_Elves get some flowers,  
__Dwarves get a ring,  
__Men get a chapel and a choir to sing,  
__Pirates get an organ to play,  
_'_cause Elf and Pirate are getting married today!_" Harry hummed to himself, sending the elves closest to him into silent fits of chuckles, and making Haldir's eyebrow twitch and Jacqueline hide her blushing face in her hands. More than one teasing look was sent towards the couple, and Harry's eyes were glittering in mirth – especially when neither of the two in question made any protest.

He would have gone on embarrassing the two if Théoden hadn't suddenly showed up. "Do you think it appropriate to act like that before battle?" the king wondered. There was curiosity in his voice, but no aggravation – at least nothing that was focused on the pirate captain.

Harry blinked at him. "What battle? OH! _That_ battle! Sorry, sorry, I forgot for a moment."

This time it was Théoden who blinked, while the elves seemed to have more or less gotten used to the inherent insanity of all pirates before arriving at Helm's Deep.

"Not to worry, mate," Harry declared, putting a friendly arm around the king's shoulders. "Everythin' 's ready as can be. All we 'ave to do now 's to wait fer those bloody Uruk-Hai to get their arses over 'ere so that we can kick 'em to kingdom come."

The King of Rohan spent a minute attempting to decipher the green-eyed man's response, and in the end surmised that what the man had been – in his unique way – trying to say was the following: all was prepared, and now they could only wait for the enemy to make the first move. For a moment he also wondered what this Kingdom of Kome had to do with things, but disregarded it quickly. "I see," he said instead, then sighed deeply. "Captain Potter-Sparrow, I apologise for my words earlier today. It has-"

Harry cut the proud man off, easily catching in just how much it cost the king to say something like that. "Already forgotten, mate. Though ye shoul' be a bit more careful next time, aye?" with that he delivered a pat on Théoden's shoulders, and went back to his place along the wall.

Théoden blinked in surprise upon finding himself standing on the battlements above the gates, and amongst his own men. He hadn't even noticed that the pirate had led him this way! He turned to watch the green-eyed man make his way through the elves, then shook his head. Just like he would never understand wizards, he would never understand pirates – and it was worse since the person in question was both of those things. He focused on Gamling. "Well, my friend, is everything ready?"

"Everything is ready." The other man replied.

There was a silence between them, before the king spoke again. "Do you trust your king, Gamling?"

"Your men will follow you to whatever end, My Lord."

"Whatever end, hmm?" the king sighed tiredly, suddenly wishing he had Harry's ability to stay so light-hearted in all situations. "Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the West, behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?" he wondered quietly as he watched boys no older than ten desperately trying to lift daggers and swords made for someone so much older.

Gamling did not reply this time.

Back with Harry things were different. The green-eyed pirate had found Legolas and Gimli, and decided to bother those two for a while. Besides, he thought sulkily, Haldir and Jacqueline had disappeared under the pretence of checking up on the troops. _'I think they might be avoiding me for some strange reason.'_

"You could've picked a better spot," the dwarf grumbled as he desperately tried to see above the wall.

"This was the only free spot along the wall," Legolas replied, trying to keep his smile from breaking through. "Otherwise we would have ended up in the third line, or even at the ground, and that would have been worse."

"Cheer up, Gimli," Harry said. "If ye wish to, I can levitate ye or summat."

Gimli shook his head decisively. "No, thank you! I like having my feet on the ground, pirate, even if it hiders me from observing what the rest of you can."

Harry chuckled. "Are ye sure?"

"Stop teasing him." Aragorn said as he suddenly appeared beside them.

The pirate looked innocent. "I've no idea what yer talkin' about."

"I'm sure you don't," Gimli said, but all of it was said in jest. Then he turned to Aragorn. "Well, whatever luck you live by, lad, lets hope it lasts the night."

"Your friends are with you, Aragorn," Legolas said, his eyes never leaving the approaching Uruk-Hai army.

"Lets 'ope _they_ last the night," Harry said. "By the way, 'ave ye seen either Haldir or Jack?"

Aragorn shook his head. "No, why?"

"Just wanted to tease 'em some more afore the battle, but I suppose it can wait." Harry pouted for a minute, fidgeting. "Actually, forget it, I'll go find 'em meself."

The three looked at him, and so did some of the elves standing around.

Harry sent them all a smirk. "I jus' can't resist!"

-x-x-x-x-

The battle broke over them like a tsunami. First it was silent, then it was suddenly a hail of arrows from both sides – though more from their side than the Uruk-Hai's.

"Did they hit anything?!" Gimli shouted.

"_Reducto!_ There are so many of 'em they don't even need te aim." Harry replied, and yawned. He had already thrown all but one of this daggers, and that last one he was keeping just in case. He was occasionally throwing a spell or two, but wanted to keep most of his strength for the physical battle that would happen. No matter what they did the Uruk-Hai kept on coming, and they could already see the ladders that the creatures down below were preparing. There were too many of the enemy for them to feel safe.

"_Reducto_!"

"_Sectumsempra_!"

"_Stupefy_!"

All around them the wizards and the elves didn't let up on their respective attacks, and the Rohirrim archers joined them easily, but everyone could see that it was not working. Step by step the Uruk-Hai were getting closer and closer. Down in the caves beneath Helm's Deep, the women and the children huddled together, and desperately tried to ignore the almost thundering footsteps of the enormous Uruk-Hai army. Here and there someone tried to sing or to tell a story to keep themselves from thinking about the inevitable losses of husbands, brothers and sons, but they died away quickly and quietly. Eowyn herself stood by the entrance to the caves – along with some other brave souls that could wield a blade to some extent – and hoped and prayed that everything would end well.

A heavy rain had started falling topside, and Harry couldn't help but send an annoyed look towards the skies. The Valar could have at least showed their support by keeping the storm off, couldn't they? Alright, to a pirate it didn't matter much whether it rained or not. What with spending most of their days on the sea, they were well used to fighting in wet conditions, but the Rohirrim clearly didn't like it, and even some of the elves seemed uncomfortable. Clothes got heavy, the ground got slippery and the rain blinded them dangerously.

"What's happening out there?!" Gimli demanded, as the elves and wizards all around him continued to shoot their arrows and throw their spells.

"I can sum it up nicely for you, Gimli," Harry snorted, his pirate-lingo completely gone. "We shoot, we make a hit, one Uruk-Hai dies, and ten others promptly take its place. It's never-ending!"

"The Uruk's have gotten very close now," Legolas added between shots. "They are bringing out the ladders and grappling hooks now, so your axe shall soon see action. And they have started on the walkway to the gates."

Gimli nodded, and patted his axe fondly. "Despite the situation I am pleased. Up until now my axe has hardly had the chance to cut anything but firewood since we left Moria."

"Aren't you forgetting that little attack a day or so ago?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. For a moment he wondered just how odd the sight of him and Gimli standing there and calmly discussing things, must be to other people. Then he decided that he didn't care and focused back on the dwarf.

"Off course not, that is why I said 'hardly had'." The dwarf smirked up at the green-eyed man. "I have learned to guard myself and my words in your esteemed company, my dear pirate. Too many a time have I fallen into one of your elaborate yet simple word-traps."

Harry smiled, and it suddenly occurred to him that he didn't want to lose these two friends he had made in this strange, new world. Therefore he made a suggestion that would insure that the two would fight their absolute best to survive the night. "How about a small wager, ey?"

"What's this, now?" Gimli was at once interested. "A wager you say?"

Even Legolas stopped shooting long enough to turn around, and regard the pirate with a curious look. "What kind of wager?"

"Shortly said: who can kill most Uruk-Hai this night? Fight any way you like, no holds barred. The winner can name a prize at the end, as long as it isn't completely unreasonable. What say you?" the pirate-captain sent the two one of his most challenging and devilish smirks, practically goading the two into accepting.

He needn't have worried, since both Legolas and Gimli agreed at once, and the dwarf couldn't help having the last word. "Don't worry, don't worry! Even when I am done plenty shall be left for the two of you."

Harry and Legolas shared an amused look over the short one's head, then turned their focus back to the battle. The attackers had really gotten into things, and the ladders and grappling hooks were being made use of energetically. Harry took great joy in severing the rope of the grappling hooks, either with spells or with his sword, and the elven archers did the same with the ladders. Still, despite all this, the Uruk-Hai were soon streaming over the Deeping Wall like a flood, and close combat was no longer avoidable. The elves put away their bows, and drew their swords, showing to all the world that they were excellent swordsmen as well as archers.

'_Well, when you have eternity I suppose you can take your time to really master everything that interests you.'_ Harry mused right before another Uruk-Hai attacked him. "_Sectumsempra_! _Petrificus_ _Totalus_! _Stupefy_!" As he had said to Legolas and Gimli this was a fight with no holds barred. There were no rules to be followed, and the trickster and pirate in him took great joy in cheating. He used his sword as well as any elf, and he made frequent use of his magical skills as well. A small space seemed to clear around him, and the monstrous Uruk-Hai tried to avoid him if at all possible. This meant that Harry had to run around and attack them wherever he found them, and this made _him_ the hunter and not the hunted.

For some strange reason this seemed to give boost to the elves, men and wizards around him, and it was easy to see that the part of the Deeping Wall where Harry was, was one of those that were the most successful defenders.

An Uruk came over the wall, just as Gimli took a swing at him and killed him. Another Uruk followed and killed the elves that were unfortunate enough to be in his reach. The dwarf noticed this, slid under it, and hitting it in the stomach with his axe. Once he got to his feet again, he looked around and – spotting Legolas – he called out to the elf. "Legolas! Two already!"

The elven prince didn't look impressed. "Really?! I'm on 17! Though I now have to use my daggers and search for used arrows since my own are gone."

Gimli twitched, but before he could answer Harry – who stood behind the dwarf – added his two cents into the conversation. "Not bad for a dwarf and an elf. Personally I am on the nice sum of 28! Make that 29!" he added as he killed an Uruk that was about to get over the Deeping Wall.

This time both Legolas and Gimli twitched, though it was the dwarf – as usual – that put their mutual thoughts into words. "I'll have no foxy pirate outscoring me!"

Further down the wall Aragorn dodged a blow from an Uruk-Hai, and killed the creature with the next swing of his sword. An Uruk jumped on the Ranger, sending Aragorn to the ground. The Uruk tried to hit him, but Aragorn parried the blow and cut off its leg, sending the Uruk-Hai to the ground. Aragorn quickly finished the monster off, then took a short breather before he kicked a ladder full of Uruk-Hai away from the wall. He took a short overview of the situation, noticing that the enemy was almost overwhelming those that were defending the gates of the Keep. The men of Rohan were tired, and so were the elves and the wizards. But the Uruk-Hai and the orcs were relentless in their attacks, and kept on coming and coming and coming and… there was simply no end to them.

A cluster of orcs on the other side of the Deep caught his attention, and he quickly realised that the creatures were moving towards the Deeping Stream while carrying something. Harry's earlier warning about the Stream surfaced in the Ranger's mind, and he quickly pointed it out to the closest elves and wizards. "_Togo hon dad_! Bring them down! Shoot them!"

Arrows and spells and daggers flew at the cluster of Uruk-Hai, and the group was thinned enough so that those on the wall could see what it was they were carrying. Harry – who had made his way closer to investigate – paled upon realising exactly what it was that the fiends were carrying. It was a primitive bomb, and even from this far away he could almost see and feel the vile magic that surrounded the clump of iron.

"Damnation!" the green-eyed pirate practically roared, made short process of his current foe, and let go of absolutely all restraints. The aura that he had kept confined within himself these past months, suddenly flared out like a beacon, and he looked like a shooting star as he ran along the wall. Uruk-Hai and orcs threw themselves out of his way, seemingly terrified of the light that was so bright and strong that they could hardly see the man at the centre of it. But the elves and the men seemed to take great hope from this, and the other wizards soon followed Harry's example and released their own suppressed auras, lighting up the battlefield like a Christmas tree.

The hesitation and fright of the enemy, gave Harry just enough time to get to the Deeping Stream, and – almost knee-deep in dirty water – the pirate squared off with the Uruk-Hai that were gathered at the other side of the bars.

"_Reducto_! _Stupefy_! _Impedimenta_!" He shot spell after spell, curse after curse, at the creatures, but they kept on coming and in the end managed to place the bomb in place. A great, large, ugly Uruk came running towards the bomb on a suicide mission, holding a torch with a magically-fed fire aloft. He had clearly been shielded by some form of magic, for no matter what was shot at him it simply seemed to glance off on him.

'_What do I do?!'_ Harry thought, almost panicking, as the Uruk came closer and closer. _'I can let the Deeping Wall be breached! If I could only apparate, then I'd…That's it! THAT'S BLOODY IT!!!!! A PORTKEY!!!!'_ he hurriedly looked around for a suitable object, found a stone that was big enough, transformed it into a portkey, and shoved it through the bars just as the Uruk jumped into the arched opening.

The portkey connected with the bomb a split second before the Uruk-Hai did, and both the bomb, the Uruk-Hai and the magical torch were whisked far away to some unidentifiable point over the sea, and were never seen or heard from again.

Harry couldn't help but sag against the wall, and trying to pull himself back together. Only now did he realise that he had been bloody lucky with the timing. If he had been a second later then – at best – he would've gotten his arm blown off, or, at worst, the entire wall would've been blown up, and Harry and everyone on this section of the wall with it.

"I'm getting too old for this," the pirate muttered to himself, then forced himself back into the fray.

Jacqueline breathed a sigh or relief when she noticed the glowing form of her godfather appear again, and was consequently nearly killed by an Uruk-Hai. It was only luck that Haldir saved her. "A battle is not the time to daydream, even for a pirate." The elf said, though there was really no serious bite to his words.

"Thanks." Jacqueline replied, then drove her sword through the skull of an Uruk that would've killed Haldir. "And neither should elven Marchwardens, I venture."

"Then we are even, My Lady." Haldir sent her a quick smirk, before the two of them turned to stand back-to-back and fought the incoming hordes of Uruk-Hai and orcs in this manner.

Théoden, who had been taking a breather, had gazed across the battlefield, and had realised that no matter how much they fought that it was for naught. The enemy kept on coming, and countless lives were needlessly ended. "Pull everybody back. Pull them back!" he ordered Gamaling, then walked off towards the inner walls of the Keep.

"Fall back!" Gamaling roared. "Fall back!"

The order was echoed from one side of the Keep to the other, and everyone obeyed. And not a moment too soon. The Uruk-Hai broke through the gates and finally overwhelmed those on the walls, and everyone could see that there was no hope in trying to keep the enemy out. Since the Uruk-Hai and the orcs seemed to detest the glow that came from the wizards, said wizards brought up the rear of the retreat, and many a wounded soldier that would otherwise have been left for dead, was saved and dragged into the Keep.

"Hurry! Inside. Get them inside!" Aragorn's voice could be heard through the din.

"Into the Keep!"

"Retreat!"

Elven and human voices mixed as the order was repeated over and over, and finally every last one of those that could be saved was through and the doors shut with a bang. The heavy, wooden doors were quickly reinforced with tables and benches and anything else that could be found, and a guard of men were set there, while the others got a bit of rest and scraped something to eat. It would take the Uruk-Hai a while to comb through the courtyards of the Keep in search for survivors and loot, and this gave the group inside some time to rest.

Everyone found places to sit down and rest, and someone passed around a bit of food and drink. The wizards got control over their auras again, and stopped shining like stars, but it didn't stop the awed looks from both men and elves.

Harry stood closer to the guarded entrance – ready to help if needed – and stretched languidly. "I hate these kinds of battles." The green-eyed man muttered. "They drag on forever. A sea-battle, now, that's something quite different! Short, sweet and to the point – if one is a good captain, that is." He yawned.

It was at this point that Legolas and Gimli found him, and settled down with him. The elf handed them all a piece of lembas, and although some – like Gimli – were dead tired of eating the elvish bread day out and day in, they were glad to have something to fill their stomachs.

"So, what's the count?" Harry asked in an attempt to keep the mood light – and to keep the other two from quizzing him as to why he glowed like a star not five minutes ago.

"Four dozen." Legolas replied with a small sigh.

"I'm on 46," Gimli declared, proud of it yet also miffed that he was still two behind the elf. "And you, Calenglîn? How many more did you add to your collection?"

Harry blinked at the use of the nickname Aragorn had gifted him with right before they had entered Bree, and encountered the hobbits for the first time. "58 or thereabouts. I lost count when the Uruks tried to blow up the wall."

Gimli grumbled. "How can we trust your statement? You're a pirate!" he said, though there was no malice in his voice, just friendly teasing.

"If that has been your worry all along, then why did you enter into this competition in the first place?" Legolas baited the dwarf, and said dwarf would have knowingly taken the bait if a loud argument between Aragorn and Théoden hadn't cut him off.

"Those two seem to get into arguments rather frequently, don't they?" Harry observed and the other two nodded.

"If Harry hadn't pointed it out in the first place, then I would never even have thought about keeping an eye at the Deeping Stream!" Aragorn was saying. "It was only luck that kept it from becoming a true massacre! Luck, and Harry's quick actions that saved us!"

Théoden shook his head sadly. "And yet look at us. All of us are trapped here like rats."

"There's still hope!" the Ranger insisted. "The dawn is nigh on hand! See! Through that window you can already see the sky lighting in the horizon. And Gandalf said that he would return at dawn."

Haldir joined the conversation. "The powers of evil are at their weakest during the day. There is still hope!"

"The fortress is taken. It is over." The King of the Rohirrim sounded almost completely broken, and those who heard his statement seemed to lose all the courage they had left. Jacqueline looked somewhat shocked at this statement, said as though it was a fact and as though the king had completely accepted his fate. Those that were guarding the door and keeping the orcs and Uruks from getting through, let up on their defence, and even those of the elves that didn't know that language seemed to understand what had happened.

"You are pissing me off!" Harry practically roared and – to everyone's shock and surprise – punched Théoden with all his might, sending the king to the ground. "Just listen to yourself! You are acting more like Wormtongue and less like the King of Men that I know you are! You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it! They have died defending it! And here you are ready to give up! You have been going through these two emotions – victory or defeat – faster and more extremely than even a pregnant woman! Pick one emotion and stick with it, dammit, and don't drag others down with you! I, for one, simply _refuse_ to die here!"

Everyone was silent, no one moved.

Harry rounded on Gamling, and the elder man couldn't keep from retreating a few steps upon meeting those furious, green eyes.

"Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Harry demanded.

Gamling didn't answer.

"Is there no other way?" Aragorn repeated, and also breaking the silence of the others in the hall. People started whispering about Harry's tirade, and it was quickly translated into elvish so that everyone could understand.

Finally Gamling managed to pull himself together. "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far, the Uruk-Hai are too many."

"Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!" Haldir ordered. The elf had gotten a hold of himself again, and had now entered into the fray, ready to assist in any way possible. He refused to die in this place as well.

But Théoden, it seemed, still needed a bit of convincing. "So much death. What can Men do against such reckless hate?"

At this point Aragorn came up with his insane plan of riding out, headlong and straight into the midst of the enemy. And surprise of surprises, new hope and courage rose up within the King of Rohan, and he agreed to the suggestion almost at once.

Harry blinked, and couldn't help commenting to Legolas, Haldir and Jacqueline. "If I'd known that all it took to get him back on his feet was the suggestion of a suicide-mission, then I wouldn't have bothered punching him… actually, I would still punch him, but the point still stands."

"Yes. The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep one last time." Théoden declared as he put on his helm again, and ordered all the horses that they had to be brought into the hall.

"Leave that to me!" Gimli said eagerly. "Dwarves are not meant for horses, but we have a pair of very strong lungs!" with that said, he ran off through the corridors of the Keep, and towards the top of the tower where the horn was to be found.

Elves and men quickly mounted the horses that were brought in, and the wizards produced broomsticks – which caused something of a commotion. Soon enough everyone was ready to ride out with the banners of the Rohirrim, the elves and the wizards at the front.

"Fell deeds, awake." Théoden spoke, his voice intense. "Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red dawn."

Harry felt a grim smirk settle on his face. He was the only wizard not on a broomstick, but the stallion he was riding would do just as well. _'Hopefully we'll live to see another day.'_ The pirating wizard mused.

Those that stood by the doors to the hall were ready to pull them open and let the group ride out, and also fight those orcs and Uruk-Hai that would get inside.

"Forth Eorlingas!" Théoden roared.

From the window they could see the sun rising, and from atop the tower they heard Gimli blow in the horn of Helm Hammerhand.

The doors were flung open.

They rode out.

-x-x-x-x-

I am really, really, really sorry about the long time it took me to update! I humbly ask for your forgiveness!

Once again I've used things from both the movie and the book, and also rearranged on who says what. I hope you won't kill me for this.

Thanks to:

Lady Tenbrae, Nights Silhouette, Adnexus, rbtfngyuj0, Insane Immortal Dragon Goddess, chaser1, Honebar, The Lady Reaper of the Shadows, JeanieBeanie33, Angel the Devil's Daughter, TanyaPotter, Goddess Bless, Dragon Rider22, Padfoot's Sidekick, foxychibi, Morrolan, zimagesto, Jesp-R, lily, Nemi Jade, dark672, Knives, yllom21, Jc, your concience, XinnLajgin, Shadow-Nyx, SunStar Kitsune, critic unknown, Twilight Dusk, alfred7188, RainboKat, webweaver, Lacerta Augurey, inugirl123mystic, Kiseki no Tenshi, SlytherinProngs, tdk99992000, Save-A-Scalpel-Ride-McSteamy, Queen of Halloween, hipeople, Chaos, eiggizlulu, Wraith, Dophin River, Vampyre Neko, The Group of One, Kimpatsu no Hoseki, Inka, Athena HowlMoon, akunamatata, lord lazy pants, Storm Master Tempest, Artemis1000, andromeda1007, Yami no Hikari-Chan, Rococophile, TouGod, Darkest-Fire.Blackest-Night, the Purple Spotted Nori, frodofreak88, Ravenstar1280, Mycroft R Holmes, lacerated goths and teddies, crazysguirl, Devious Ava, Merrymow, Sayla Ragnarok, Avvy, sable2684, stuck-in-a-tree, Getzeye Dragon1, CrazyVulcanandDementedDementor, Born of Sinner's Blood, Pottertwin, Taari, and agent radius.

And a special thanks to MarySue-Will-Die. That was the best and the worst review I have ever read! It made my day and made me write more on this story! I salute you!


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